Beyond Bourke Street

Through his Italian and Indigenous Moroccan cultural backgrounds, singer and multi-instrumentalist Jad Pinnone presents a melting pot of rhythms while busking on the streets of Melbourne.

Interview recorded on April 15, 2022 (Alexandra Gardens by the Yarra River, Melbourne Central Business District) by Daniel Bacchieri.

Music excerpts from the song "AÏCHA", written by Jad Pinnone.

Photo credit: Shots by Dre https://www.instagram.com/_shotsbydre/

https://linktr.ee/jadpinnoneofficial

A regular Melbourne busker since 2020, Indian-born Mukul Jiwnani produced 'an ethnographic inquiry of how the current culture of musical busking in Melbourne CBD accommodates innovation for a musician and its implications for one’s creative practice' as part of his Master of Music at the Australian Institute of Music (AIM).

Interview recorded on April 18, 2022 (Flinders Walk by the Yarra River, Melbourne Central Business District) by Daniel Bacchieri.

Music excerpts from the song "Brand New Tie", written by Mukul Jiwnani.

Photo credit: Rachel May

https://linktr.ee/mukuljiwnani

Gareth Wiecko is a Welsh-born pianist and producer living in Melbourne, where his busking sessions helped him pay for college (at the Australian Institute of Music) and played an essential role in obtaining a permanent resident visa in Australia.

Interview recorded on April 16, 2022 (Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne Central Business District) by Daniel Bacchieri.

Music excerpts from the songs "Pads", "IO", and "INNI". All songs were written by Gareth Wiecko.

Photo credit: Daniel Bacchieri

https://linktr.ee/garethwiecko

Originally from Bairnsdale (East Gippsland, Victoria), guitarist Adam Seidel was inspired by Melbourne buskers from the 2010s like Tash Sultana. Nowadays, he performs at Bourke Street Mall, treating the act of busking as his full-time job.

Interview recorded on April 20, 2022 (Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne Central Business District) by Daniel Bacchieri.

Music excerpts from songs written by Adam Seidel.

Photo credit: bc.visuals_

https://www.instagram.com/adamseidelmusic/

Having worked every type of gig, from pubs to stadiums worldwide, singer-guitarist John Crosbie found new inspiration in the “naked honesty” of busking solo on Melbourne’s streets.

Interview recorded on May 30, 2023 (Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne Central Business District) by Daniel Bacchieri.

Music excerpts from the songs "Brand New Day", "Eternal", "Here Close to You", "My Sanctuary", "Right Next to You", "I Need a Song". All songs written by John Crosbie.

https://www.johncrosbie.com/

Singer Ashleigh Rose reflects on how busking built her confidence to perform on stage while sharing why she prefers to sing around the Southbank rather than the Bourke Street Mall. Ashleigh also highlights the use of TikTok and Instagram to promote her street music sessions and her relationship with other buskers, especially the ones she met when studying at the Australian College of the Arts (Collarts).

Interview recorded on April 22, 2022 (Birrarung Marr, between Melbourne CBD and the Yarra River) by Daniel Bacchieri.

Music excerpts from the song "Waiting Among Stars", written by Ashleigh Rose.

https://linktr.ee/ashleighrosemusic

Indonesian-born Perth-raised and now based in Melbourne, pop/folk singer Leon Kroeber is focused on performing in the streets of the Central Business District to build his audience. Leon blends original songs with cover versions throughout his busking sessions on Swanston Street and Bourke Street.

Interview recorded on June 8, 2023 (Swanston Street, Melbourne Central Business District) by Daniel Bacchieri.

Music excerpts from the song "Red", written by Leon Kroeber.

https://www.instagram.com/imleonkroeber/

https://www.youtube.com/@imLeonKroeber

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2PLPYcevxqMkWYFW5y5DzV

https://www.tiktok.com/@imleonkroeber

https://soundcloud.com/imleonkroeber

Photo credit: Krish Miglani

From station to station (especially Southern Cross and Flinders railway stations in Melbourne), freestyle hip-hop artist Joshua Caleb considers the streets his main stage to perform. The half-Irish, half-Ghanaian composer/producer/trumpet player enjoys improvising during his live busking sessions, inspired by his connections with an audience passing through his eyes.

Interview recorded on May 26, 2023 (outside Southern Cross Station, Melbourne Central Business District) by Daniel Bacchieri.

Music excerpts from the songs "Respect to TMH", "Two Edge Blade", "Soul Train", "Sadly Glad", "City Kids", "Flinders Street Freestyle (Live)", "LML (Live My Life)", "Blasphemy". All songs written by Joshua Caleb.

Photo credit: Jacob Gower

https://www.instagram.com/thestoryofjoshua/

https://www.youtube.com/@TheStoryOfJoshua

https://www.abc.net.au/triplejunearthed/artist/joshua-caleb/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2GBVsvao92PsUfMLH665th

Singer-songwriter Keanu Jai is one of the new faces of the Melbourne busking scene. The pop artist, who just moved from Port Macquarie, New South Wales, regularly plays on Bourke Street Mall (Melbourne CBD) with a 100% original repertoire.

Interview recorded on May 30, 2023 (Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne Central Business District) by Daniel Bacchieri.

Music excerpts from the song "single bed", written by Keanu Jai.

https://www.instagram.com/keanujaisays/

https://www.facebook.com/keanujaisays

https://www.youtube.com/@keanujai8317

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6vnyAQ9NdvQs3ef228zcR7

https://www.abc.net.au/triplejunearthed/artist/keanu-jai/

https://soundcloud.com/keanujai

Photo credit: Jess Gleeson

Melbourne-based rapper J Verse presents a melting pot of Hip Hop, R&B and Afrobeats​. ​The artist, born in Dubai, became a social media sensation while rapping for street celebrities. His TikTok video with NBA icon/DJ Shaquille O'Neal has more than 12,5 million views (https://www.tiktok.com/@jversee/video/7135448272344288514).

Interview recorded on May 20, 2023 (Swanston Street, Melbourne Central Business District) by Daniel Bacchieri.

Music excerpts from the songs "My Lil Dancer", "Take Too Long", "Star", "Why Can't We", "Losing You". All songs written by J Verse.

https://www.tiktok.com/@jversee

https://www.instagram.com/jverse/

https://www.youtube.com/c/judeeid

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4HGo8l4MbcAYghnxg5kZmB