Senior will in Ballarat this Friday following the release of her album Pretty Faces.

Senior describes her album as “dark folk” with layers of pop and psychedelic undertones. The Melbourne folk singer cites Nick Drake, Joni Mitchell and John Martyn as her biggest influences.

“I’m just a quiet folk lady who will probably never hit the big time,” Senior says.

Her sister Andi, who performs backing vocals on the album, will be coming along on the tour. 

“We nearly killed each other a few times but we get over it quick enough. She’s the first person I share any of my songs with,” Senior says.

Her boyfriend Jesse Williams will also be on stage. William plays piano and guitar on the album. 

“It’s a bit of a family band and that makes it so much nicer to go on tours,” Senior says.

Senior says Friday’s gig at Karova Lounge will be an honest performance with tracks from her new album played with a full band as well as some stripped back numbers.

The Warrnambool-born musician says the weather influences her songwriting.

“The moodiness of the weather is reflected in my music. Growing up in the country gave me loneliness in the nicest possible way.”

Pretty Faces is about the exploration of freedom and loss of expectation from self and tells the story of a musician trying to find her creative freedom.

In You Were Not Fit for the Day, Senior talks about the feeling of being unable to move away from something even when you know it’s destructive. 

“And the winter comes covered with rain, but the light through the curtain zips through the wet window pane. And you wait for the times when the blinds are all drawn, and I skate on a river of times gone before.”

In the music video Senior plays a washed up star who is left performing on stage to a crowd of only two people. Senior says she felt she could relate to the character.

Leah Senior will perform at Karova Lounge in Ballarat on Friday, June 9 supported by Luke Brennan. Tickets are $12 at the door.