Local singer songwriter Chelsea Stutchbury is set to release her debut single Butterfly, dedicated to her grandfather who was Bundaberg’s first veterinary surgeon, on streaming platforms in January.
The song was developed through a recent round of Bundaberg Regional Council’s Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF).
She wrote Butterfly in March as a tribute to her grandfather Graham Stutchbury who she lost in 2014.
“I always I had a very close relationship with him,” Chelsea said.
“I always felt like he was this butterfly watching over me – like a guardian angel sort of vibe.
“Every time I see a butterfly, I like to imagine it’s his ghost watching over me.”
Butterfly shares some of Chelsea’s favourite memories of her grandad.
“It’s sort of more things that we did together.
“We used to go out and do the weather out at the Bundaberg Aero Club, so I reference the weather.”
While COVID presented many challenges, it also gave Chelsea the chance to return home to work on the song closer to where those memories were made.
“Since I was home I actually decided to create a bit of a recording studio in my grandad’s old surgery.
“That was kind of special.”
The x-ray room of the Bundaberg west surgery is now a sound-proofed recording room.
Chelsea said it was Bundaberg’s first veterinary surgery opened in about 1958, helping to inspire her during the creative process.
“Being in the surgery made me think about him more.”
While at the moment she is focussed on her studies and graduating from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, in future Chelsea said she may look to offer singing lessons or record local artists from the space.
In another special tribute, the cover art for Butterfly is a picture of Chelsea, drawn by her grandad.
“I still have it and its coffee stained and everything.”
The song will be released on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and all other streaming platforms from January 11, 2021.
The date was selected for its significance, being the anniversary of her grandad’s passing.
Chelsea said securing an RADF grant had helped to make producing Butterfly possible.
“Thank you to the Bundaberg Regional Council for supporting regional arts,” Chelsea said.
“It’s really important and I’m very thankful for the great job that they do.
“It definitely helped support my music.”
The live debut of the song Butterfly will be performed at the Capricorn Caves, north of Rockhampton, at a special Butterfly in a Cave event as part of an upcoming film festival.
“I attended the 2017 Capricorn Film Festival where my sister won an award for her environmental short film, and was impressed with the quality of the event, and the support and recognition it gives to creatives,” Chelsea said.
“I love reverberant spaces and experimenting with how my vocals can sound within them, so the acoustics of inside the Caves is something I am very much looking forward to performing in.”
RADF is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Bundaberg Regional Council that invests in quality arts and cultural experiences throughout the region.
