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Jack Colwell
Promotional photo of Colwell, 2020
Promotional photo of Colwell, 2020
Background information
Born(1989-10-26)26 October 1989
Died3 October 2024(2024-10-03) (aged 34)
OccupationSinger-songwriter
InstrumentsPiano, vocals, guitar
Years active2012–2024

Jack Colwell (26 October 1989 – 3 October 2024) was an Australian singer-songwriter.[1]

Early life

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Colwell's mother was a concert pianist.[2] He attended the Conservatorium High School at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.[3]

Prior to launching his solo career, Colwell worked behind the scenes in the Australian music industry, assisting Karen O with her performance of "Stop The Virgens" at the Sydney Opera House in 2012 and arranging vocals for Architecture in Helsinki.[1] He also had a band called Jack Colwell & The Owls.

Career

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Colwell attracted attention in August 2015 when Rolling Stone Australia premiered the video for his single "Don't Cry Those Tears".[4]

The song topped AMRAP's Metro radio chart for four consecutive weeks[5] but programmers at Triple J told Colwell, who was 25 years old at the time, that "Don't Cry Those Tears" sounded 'too old' to be played on the station.[6]

In late August 2015, he self-released his first solo EP, Only When Flooded Could I Let Go.[7]

In September 2015, Colwell appeared at Newtown Social Club as part of Rolling Stone's "Live Lodge" concert series.[1] In November 2015, ARIA-winning singer-songwriter Sarah Blasko announced that Colwell would be the main support act on her 2016 Australian tour.[8]

In August 2016, Colwell released When The World Explodes,[9] an EP featuring remixes of songs from Only When Flooded... by HEALTH, Fennesz, Roly Porter, Ash Koosha, Rabit and Marcus Whale.

In October 2016, Colwell played a sold-out hometown show at the Sydney Opera House with a string ensemble.[10]

Work with Patrick Wolf

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In 2018, Colwell accompanied cult singer-songwriter and former Burberry model Patrick Wolf at Wolf's career-spanning Australian comeback concert.[11] The pair reunited in January 2020 for a sold-out run of Wolf shows in London,[12] with Colwell contributing arrangements and multi-instrumental accompaniment. Recalling the first time he attended a Wolf concert, Colwell said: "I was 17 and had a fake ID. I was really struck by how remarkable his singing voice is. I was blown away."[11]

Swandream

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Colwell self-released his debut album, Swandream, in 2020.[13]

Produced by Sarah Blasko, Swandream was acclaimed by critics: NME declared it "an utterly visceral listen with immediate impact"[14] while The Guardian said "Colwell and Blasko have built a full-immersion tale that is both theatrical and real."[13]

BrooklynVegan called Swandream "a record loaded with lush, moody ballads and soaring anthems"[15] and Junkee crowned it "the fieriest and most beautiful album of the year so far."[16]

Swandream ranked #5 on NME's '25 Best Australian Albums of 2020' list.[14]

Prior to the album's release, Colwell shared a collaboration with Owen Pallett, "I Will Not Change My Ways".[17] The song was recorded in one take while Colwell was in Pallett's native Toronto. An alternative version appeared on Swandream.

A track from the album, "In My Dreams", was remixed by Robin Guthrie of the Cocteau Twins.[15] Guthrie's version appeared alongside remixes by Joel Amey of Wolf Alice and Australian musicians Rainbow Chan and Marcus Whale on the EP Swanlux.[18]

Literary work

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Colwell wrote essays for the Guardian,[19] Kill Your Darlings[20] and others, and delivered talks at the National Young Writers' Festival[21] and the Emerging Writers' Festival.[22]

Advocacy

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In November 2016, Colwell released the song No Mercy in honour of deceased Australian teenager Tyrone Unsworth.[23]

In September 2017, Colwell programmed and performed at Unity: the Equality Campaign concert at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney with Sarah Blasko, Killing Heidi, The Jezabels and others.[24] Proceeds from the event went to Australian Marriage Equality, a registered charity advocating for the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Australia.[25]

Personal life and death

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Colwell was born three months prematurely on 26 October 1989.[26][27]

Colwell was gay;[28] after his death, his friend Gen Fricker described him as "out and flamboyant at 14."[29]

Colwell was a noted Tori Amos fan. In 2015, Kill Your Darlings published his essay Ears with Feet: Life Among the Tori Amos Super Fans.[20] In 2017, he told Double J "What I love about Tori is that she made the piano cool."[30]

Colwell died on 3 October 2024 at the age of 34.[31][32]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Coyte, Matt (11 September 2015). Five Things You Need To Know About Jack Colwell.[permanent dead link] Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  2. ^ Yates, Rod. "Humans Of Music: Jack Colwell". jaxsta.com. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  3. ^ Colwell, Jack [@jvckcolwell] (7 September 2024). "big emotional day for me conducting back at my high school! 💕 x" – via Instagram.
  4. ^ Nail, Jonny (18 August 2015) Premiere: Jack Colwell "Don't Cry Those Tears." Archived 6 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  5. ^ "Amrap Chart Wrap − Jack Colwell and Boy & Bear retain #1 spots in Community Radio Charts". The Music Network. 27 October 2015.
  6. ^ "'Ageism is alive and well': Triple J lampooned for 'insulting' tweet". The Guardian. September 2021.
  7. ^ Jack Colwell – Only When Flooded Could I Let Go. The Music. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  8. ^ Sarah Blasko announces national album tour for Eternal Return | music news | triple j abc.net.au. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  9. ^ Jack Colwell – When The World Explodes. iTunes. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  10. ^ Valentish, Jenny (17 October 2016). Jack Colwell Bears His Soul at the Sydney Opera House. Archived 20 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine Moshcam. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  11. ^ a b Zuel, Bernard (11 April 2018). "The Remaking of Patrick Wolf". bernardzuel.net. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Jack Colwell tells us about his new album". Something You Said. 25 May 2020.
  13. ^ a b Zuel, Bernard (3 June 2020). "Jack Colwell: Swandream review – theatrical, raw songs packed with pain and soaring survival". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  14. ^ a b "The 25 best Australian albums of 2020". NME. 23 December 2020.
  15. ^ a b "Cocteau Twins' Robin Guthrie remixes Jack Colwell's "In My Dreams" (listen)". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  16. ^ "Jack Colwell Has Written The Fieriest And Most Beautiful Album Of The Year So Far". Junkee. 5 June 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  17. ^ "Jack Colwell releases collaboration with Owen Pallett". NME. 11 March 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  18. ^ "Jack Colwell announces remix EP 'Swanlux'". NME. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  19. ^ Colwell, Jack (19 February 2023). "Jack Colwell: Some Things Last a Long Time by Daniel Johnston is the most perfect song of all time". The Guardian.
  20. ^ a b "Ears with Feet: Life Among the Tori Amos Super Fans". Kill Your Darlings. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  21. ^ "Jack Colwell – NYWF". Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  22. ^ "Emerging Writers' Festival: Jack Colwell on Tweeties for Sweeties: Narrative in Grindr and social media". The Wheeler Centre. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  23. ^ Sargent, Chloe (28 November 2016). Jack Colwell Drops Empowering LGBTQ+ Tune In Honour of Tyrone Unsworth. Pedestrian.tv. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  24. ^ Shanahan, Lucy (13 September 2017). Aussie All-Stars Call For ‘Unity’ at Marriage Equality Concert. Archived 15 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  25. ^ Shaw, Rebecca (6 September 2017). All Ya Faves Are Playing A Huge Gig In Sydney Next Week For The SSM Cause. Pedestrian.tv. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  26. ^ Groves, Nancy (10 December 2015). Claudia Karvan murders Jack Colwell in music video for Coat – exclusive premiere. The Guardian. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  27. ^ "I'm 30 today!! Thanks for all the lovely birthday messages". X. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  28. ^ "Interview: Jack Colwell Talks About "No Mercy" & Raising Funds For QLife". The Queer Av. 5 December 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  29. ^ Tassell, Dominique (5 October 2024). "Sydney singer-songwriter Jack Colwell dies, aged 34". Seven News. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  30. ^ "Tori Amos – The J Files". Double J. 7 September 2017.
  31. ^ Valentish, Jenny. "Remembering Jack Colwell: an astonishing musical talent, and a generous and loyal friend". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  32. ^ Bond, Nick (5 October 2024). "Much-loved Australian singer-songwriter Jack Colwell dies aged 34". news.com.au.
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