It’s time for another round of Pass the AUX, where we spotlight some of Australia’s best and brightest musicians. Even though Ausmusic month has wrapped up, there’s no time limit to our quest to Ausify your playlist. Because what good is an algorithm without some homegrown flavour?
With Vv Pete and Keli Holiday already in the bank, it’s now time for Folk Bitch Trio to shine. Aside from having an utterly badass band name, this Melbourne group is doing their darnedest to rewrite the rules of folk music — with resplendent results.
Consisting of Grace Sinclair, Jeanie Pilkington, and Heide Peverelle, Folk Bitch Trio have cornered the market in terms of rich harmonies, a singular point of view and a ceaseless sense of humour.
So what’re you waiting for? Add Folk Bitch Trio to your playlist and hear all about their origins, inspirations and fave music memories below!
What is your first memory of music?
Grace: I remember being in kindergarten and being able to repeat a melody for the first time from my memory, and the huge amount of joy and satisfaction it gave me. Found out later that the melody that I reproduced from my little nighttime signing frog toy was Fran Liszt’s “Liebesträume”.
Jeanie: Being at the pub on a Sunday in Richmond playing pinball while my parents played gigs with their friends.
Heide: My first memory of music is probably being in the car with my family listening to CDs.
How did you get your start in the music industry?
Grace: Busting our asses playing gigs every weekend at pubs in Melbourne and making sure that every gig was good.
Jeanie: Yes exactly that.
Heide: We played our first gig at the Merri Creek Tavern through a gig series Barb Waters organised showcasing songwriters. Then onto the other pubs of Melbourne…
What is the Aussie song that reminds you of someone special in your life and why?
Grace: “Teen Love” by Daddy Cool. Reminds me of dancing in the lounge room with my dad.
Jeanie: “Fall Around Me” by The Killjoys reminds me of my family.
Heide: “Since I Left You” by The Avalanches reminds me of my Dad and I listening to music together at home.
What Australian artist would you most like to collaborate with and why?
Grace: A Ninajirachi FBT remix would go off.
Jeanie: Yes I second that, Ninajirachi is a national treasure
Heide: Yes Ninajirachi for sure.
What’s your go-to Aussie tune for hyping yourself up?
Grace: Amyl and the Sniffers — “Don’t Need A Cunt (Like You To Love Me)”
Jeanie: Tropical Fuck Storm — “Brain Drops”
Heide: Public Figures — “Landed In A Trap”
What’s your go-to Aussie tune for karaoke and/or screaming in the car?
Grace: AC/DC — “High Voltage”
Jeanie: Cold Chisel — “Flame Trees”
Heide: Silverchair — “Straight Lines”
What’s your go-to Aussie tune for when you need a moment in your feels?
Grace: Nick Cave feat. PJ Harvey — “Henry Lee”
Jeanie: Gurrumul — “Wiyathul”
Heide: Archie Roach — “One Song”
What’s your go-to Aussie tune to get a dance floor pumping?
Grace: Eddy Current Suppression Ring — “Memory Lane”
Jeanie: Ninajirachi — “Fuck My Computer”
Heide: Gerling — “Enter Spacecapsule
What’s your go-to Aussie tune for having a main character moment?
Grace: Easybeats — “Friday on My Mind”
Jeanie: Cash Savage and the Last Drinks — “$600 Short on the Rent”
Heide: The Ocean Party — “Better Off”
When writing a new song, what is your moment of inspiration?
Grace: Limerence, vindication, boredom, over caffeinated, just got home a bit drunk from a gig and hanging out with my guitar.
Jeanie: Seeing something funny and writing it in my notes app for the next time I’m with my guitar
Heide: Gleaning what you can from the day, funny things, sad things and writing it down for a moment with a guitar.
What’s your pre-gig ritual?
Grace: A good soundcheck. Jump up and down a bit. Light dinner.
Jeanie: Finding some inner peace, making each other laugh backstage.
Heide: A giggle and locking in with each other (secret backstage business).
What’s something surprising or inspiring about the music industry that most people wouldn’t know?
Grace: Honestly, a lot of the success of (an Australian touring) a band is related to how well they can stick together through the trials and tribulations of roughing it touring, running a business, interviewing, doing photoshoots and still managing to put on a great show every night and LAUGH!
Jeanie: Your creative peers will inspire and validate your work more than anything, so make a good effort to connect with other artists you play shows or festivals with. It seems obvious, but sometimes meeting with industry people happens more often than meeting other artists.
Heide: Watching your friends perform and do their thing is up there with the most inspiring stuff. To see people you love do what they love is like nothing else.
How can we support the next generation of Aussie music talent?
Grace: Go to the pub and see your friend’s bands.
Jeanie: Buy a ticket and a tshirt and tell everyone how good they are. Word of mouth is an underrated yet powerful form of publicity.
Heide: Buy tickets!!! GO TO THE GIG. BUY MERCH! Talk about the gig. Go to another gig. Repeat.
Is there any up and coming Aussie talent you think we should be keeping an eye on?
Grace: Public Figures! Wishlist! Mika James!
Jeanie: Public figures!!! Milly Strange!
Heide: Public Figures!! Wishlist!! Ruby Milner!!
We love your harmonies! Tell us about how the vocal chemistry developed between the three of you.
Grace: Love between friends who all liked to sing and play their guitars.
Jeanie: Spending lots of time together, singing and talking. Our musical chemistry was built on our chemistry as friends.
Heide: Love.
What drew you to the folk genre? And how do you put your own spin on it as Aussie women in 2025?
Grace: The poeticism of folk has been massively influential on all of us, but we don’t really consider ourselves a ‘folk’ act, though the word is in the name. Taking modern living and writing about it is how we try and spin it.
Jeanie: Folk music tells the truth, which is what I love about it and the aspect of the genre I think FBT participates in the most.
Heide: I agree with J and G. We try to just tell the truth, which is life as twenty-something kids from Melbourne. Add some guitar music and there you have it, FBT.
What do you think is unique about the Australian folk scene compared to international scenes?
Grace: Hmm. Australia is a strange cultural place. I think we all know it. It can feel distant from other western cultures, and in that way, freeing.
Jeanie: Yeah, if there is a ‘folk scene’ in Australia I don’t think we’re a part of it. Most of the music I find inspiring among our peers in Naarm is rock and roll.
Heide: Agreed.
And finally… let’s pass the aux. Which Aussie act should PEDESTRIAN.TV readers be adding to their playlists?
Grace: Public Figures! AC/DC, Amyl, Tropical Fuck Storm, Ninajirachi.
Jeanie: Milly Strange, Wet Kiss, Mika James, Cash Savage and the Last Drinks, Miss Kaninna.
Heide: WishList, Public Figures, Way Dynamic, The Belair Lipbombs, Georgia Knight, Geography.
This article was made possible by our mates at Ausify. Own your algorithm with local sounds.
Lead image: Instagram
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