Singer songwriter Alana Aldea on her home city of Melbourne

Up-and-coming Melbourne artist Alana Aldea has just released her debut solo album, Strong. The independent singer/songwriter has the heart and soul of a 70s rocker and a sound that blends her many years experimenting with different genres, including rock, soul, classical, dance and folk.

Born and raised in Melbourne, Alana says her career started at age three: “When my grandma bought me my first piano”. Here, she gives the lowdown on her home city of Melbourne:

What is it about Melbourne that inspires you to create your music?Melbourne is where it all started for me.  It’s the place where my love for music began many years ago. I have lots of memories in Melbourne that have inspired many of my songs.  As young as five years old, I was going to the opera at the Arts Centre with Mum; Dad took me to my first rock concert at 12; and I have fond memories of strolling around the city enjoying the music on the streets, especially the buskers in Bourke Street Mall. Being exposed to all these different genres of music around Melbourne certainly inspires the music I now create.

You feature a lot of Victorian destinations in your film clips – tell us about them and how you decide where to film?Victoria has a unique charm and incredible diversity – there’s something for everyone. It’s both bohemian and trendy, chic and edgy, and it has a romantic side too. I wanted to showcase Victoria’s unique and eclectic style in my film clips.

It’s extremely important for me to match my music with visuals that best represent the soul of my songs. During the songwriting process I start to visualise the images I want to accompany my music. For example, The Unknown has a gritty and edgy vibe. Writing this song I already knew that Melbourne’s city centre, in particular the street art in Hosier Lane, was the perfect imagery to complement it.

Starting Over Again is a soul stirring cinematic ballad, full of dreamy and mysterious undertones. I immediately thought that the enchanting and romantic feel of Melbourne’s gardens would capture the mood of this song perfectly. The Treasury Gardens are spectacular at any time of year and on the day we filmed, I felt like I was walking through an enchanted forest, as there was a light mist enveloping the trees, adding to the romantic and mysterious mood I wanted to create.

I scouted out each location prior to filming, and I actually put my headphones in with my songs playing as I walked through these locations, to see how I could picture the music videos working there. That’s how I chose to film the video for the title song of my album, Strong at Wilson’s Promontory.  The majesty of the open ocean, the feeling of vast wilderness, the pristine beach glowing at sunset, the sense of infinity, all reflect the very soul of this song in powerful and breathtaking images. It was such an incredible experience filming at Wilson’s Promontory, I completely forgot about how cold the wind was and that the water was freezing on my feet! The image of the sun slowly setting into the ocean at Whisky Bay was simply unforgettable.

On the other hand, for Never Bring Me Down I wanted to find somewhere vibrant, fun and exciting. This song is a celebration of life and a celebration of being yourself, so what better place than St Kilda and Luna Park?!  Also, the “Three Men Who Brought Their Own Lunch” statues on the corner of Swanston and Bourke Streets in the city centre are so funny, so iconic and so whimsical, I had to add them into this video!

Describe your perfect weekend in Melbourne.My perfect weekend in Melbourne would start with a morning hike up the 1,000 steps in the Dandenong Ranges, followed by a leisurely lunch at Café de Beaumarchais in Sassafras. The quaint French-style decor is extremely relaxing and transports you to a little corner of Paris for the afternoon. I’d certainly be tempted by a delicious sweet treat to accompany my coffee and lunch… it is the weekend after all, so the calories don’t count!

In the evening, I would meet up with friends for dumplings in Chinatown before going out for drinks and some live music. Lui Bar at the top of the Rialto Building is a perfect place to kick off a Saturday night with a cocktail (or several) and offers spectacular birds eye views of Melbourne. We would then either go to Brunswick Street, Fitzroy to listen to some live music, or if we felt like making the music ourselves, we would go to a karaoke bar in the city – KBOX Karaoke is great if you want a private room, and Jankara Karaoke is perfect for belting out a tune in front of a live audience. Karaoke is one of my favourite things to do in the city.

Sundays are meant for total relaxation, so I would go and see Chris, Frank and the other fabulous staff at Riva in St Kilda, and relax the day away by the sea. Right on the water, this hidden gem has arguably the best view in Melbourne, reasonably priced food and the perfect ambience for a lazy Sunday.

If you were to go for a weekend away anywhere in Victoria, where would you go and what would you do?After filming the music video for Strong at Wilson’s Promontory, I would love to stay there for an entire weekend.  I would spend the whole weekend hiking and exploring this beautiful location. The beaches at Wilson’s Promontory are absolutely breathtaking! I’ve been to beaches all across the world, but it’s true that the best beaches in the world are in Victoria.

Where do you like to go to see live music, or for a night out?There are so many great live music venues in Melbourne!  If I had to choose a few, I’d say Brunswick Street in Fitzroy is a must. It feeds my bohemian side and on any given night you can wander into any bar along this street and be sure to have a good time. There are loads of live music venues to choose from such as The Night Cat and The Workers Club.

Riva in St Kilda is one of my favourite places in Melbourne. With arguably the best view in town, Riva is a fantastic place in both summer and winter. When it’s hot you can soak up the sun on the outdoor deck whilst listening to cool tunes, and when it’s chilly, you can curl up with a glass of wine by the fire.

Also at the top of my list is Kelly’s in Olinda. About an hour from Melbourne, Kelly’s is cosy and laid back, a nice escape from the fast pace of the city. They regularly host live music and open mic nights.