Amy Shark on the Challenges of Being an Australian Musician
Amy Shark, a celebrated Australian musician known for hits like I Said Hi and Worst Day of My Life, has spoken candidly about the difficulties local artists face in the music industry. In an interview, she described Australia as “definitely a hard country” for musicians trying to break through.
She highlighted the presence of what many call “tall poppy syndrome,” where the underdog is admired but struggles to maintain success. “100 per cent. It’s just a real problem in this country,” she said. This sentiment reflects the challenges that even successful artists like Shark face when they rise to prominence.
Shark, who has won eight ARIA Awards, shared her experiences of how the industry has changed over the years. She noted that while there are more platforms for artists to showcase their talent, the competition has also become fiercer. “There’s just so much music and everyone wants to do the thing, and everyone has a platform to do the thing now,” she explained.
In the past, success required long hours of hard work and dedication. “Whereas [before] you had to really hustle and be in it for nothing, for a long time,” she recalled. Today, the landscape is different, with many people able to create and share content easily. However, this doesn’t mean it’s easier. “It’s just hard because there’s so much choice.”
Despite the challenges, Shark feels she was one of the lucky ones. “For me to get Sony interested, or anyone interested, I had to do a lot that had nothing to do with getting social media followers or anything,” she said. Now, she believes that the key to success is writing good songs and working hard.
Shark’s latest album, Soft Pop, will be released in July, marking another milestone in her career. Additionally, she made her acting debut in the film Beast, starring alongside Russell Crowe, Daniel MacPherson, Luke Hemsworth, and George Burgess. The role came about after she “cheekily” approached Crowe, who eventually helped her land an audition.
“It was pretty weird, how it came about. Russell has randomly turned into a good friend of mine,” she said. Their collaboration began with playful banter, and it eventually led to a chance to audition for the film. “He sent me a script and said, ‘This is interesting. I think this role would suit you if you’re interested,’ which was crazy.”
Shark admitted she had to overcome imposter syndrome once she landed the role. She drew on her experience working with global superstar Ed Sheeran, where she learned to shift gears from being a fan to being a professional. “I’ve managed to be able to work on that switching gears over my career, to not make a dick of myself, to be honest,” she added with a laugh.
In Beast, Shark plays Rose, the daughter of veteran gym owner Sammy (played by Crowe), who helps train MMA fighter Patton James (MacPherson). The film features a redemption arc, with James fighting after the death of his brother. Shark described her character as a tough “bad bitch” and worked with an MMA trainer to prepare for the role.
“I loved the script and I’ve always loved fight movies. I used to do taekwondo and was a big fan of bloodsport and all the Bruce Lee movies, so I was like, ‘This is so up my alley,'” she said.
Interestingly, acting was Shark’s first love before she pursued music. “I had acting lessons when I was 14 and had an agent and was trying to get little commercials and stuff,” she revealed. Crowe provided guidance on set, and Shark took his advice to heart. “He’s f–king Russell Crowe, you know, he knows what he’s doing!”
As the interview wrapped up, Shark laughed about the braids her character wore in the film—a departure from her signature high bun. “They were pretty tight. There were a few headaches. It was worth it though, pain is beauty!”
