24. Joija
"Stars" - House of the Devil ft. Lania Walsh
Tune: Massive Attack - "Unfinished Sympathy"
Artist Background
House of the Devil
House of the Devil was founded in 1998 in the city of Roos Bay, Victoria by childhood friends Nate "The Eliminator" Nakamura (b. 1983), Marcelo "5G" Lopez (b. 1981) and Martinus "Machine" Kessler (b. 1981). The band is well-known for featuring female singers in their songs. Their first hit, "Ammunition Round", released in 2001, featured Australian singer Mia and helped propel the band into the mainstream. Other hit songs include "Hologram", "Unneeded", "Sutures", "My Love" and "Don't Tell Me". They have 8 albums as of 2021, including "House of the Devil", "Ammunition Round", "Telephonic", "Wooded Spirit" and "Silentia". In 2003, Machine left the band, citing creative differences and a desire to raise a family with his wife. Female singers that have worked alongside House of the Devil include Mia, Luisa Raé (Cinema Novo), Cat Feiner, Lilith Falk-Minerva (Funeral Express), Arielle de Jesús and Saf Mapoyo.
Lania Walsh
Lania Walsh-Ali is a British singer, songwriter and activist. She was born October 15, 1997 to a Welsh-Dutch father and a Guyanese mother in Newport, Wales, and was raised in both Cardiff and Utrecht. She has worked with multiple bands before, including British indie pop band Miss Mania. She reached #1 on the charts in Ireland, The Netherlands and Joija with the song "Let Me Go", catching the attention of House of the Devil member 5G.
Stars
Stars was the composition brainchild of 5G. After experimenting with idiophonic instruments, he came up with a backing percussion (that has an almost 'twinkly' sound to it when heard in the song). The Eliminator overheard this, and started making another backing percussion track, this time with a drum machine. He also contributed to keyboards, and 5G did the scratching heard in the original track, but the live version does not use this. When 5G heard that Walsh was going to be touring in Joija, he went to a concert in Olpa Leeuw, and asked if Walsh would like to contribute to the track. She agreed immediately. The song was recorded in Blue Moon Studios, Olpa Leeuw (with the exception of the string section). The string section was composed by Travis Hunt, a famed Joijan classical crossover composer and close friend of The Eliminator, who has worked for the likes of the Othonese and Kalistrian Philharmonic Orchestras. The string section was done at Joija Radio Broadcasting Studios in St. Tristian by the 87-piece St. Tristian Symphony Orchestra.
Stars is a song about unrequited love.
Walsh will be the only one clearly visible on stage, with the spotlight being aimed at her even when she moves. This is the outfit as seen backstage, a tribute to her West African roots, designed by Rachelle Abara.
Walsh walks on stage under a dark blue spotlight. Eliminator, who is behind, starts tapping the hi hat. Conductor Travis Hunt gives the indication to start. 5G starts playing the keyboard once the instrumental starts.
Walsh starts to approach the microphone. The light becomes less dim, giving a clearer view of Walsh as she starts to sing.
Walsh grabs the microphone and steps away from the mic stand, walking around to the front centre part of the stage. She interacts with the audience and the main spotlight follows her and changes to a light red colour as she moves.
Walsh, still standing front centre, stands up from crouching. A close-up of her face is shown on the screen on stage, which gradually pans out to a half-body shot as she moves around the front of the stage. She smiles at an audience member.
Walsh walks back to the main section of the stage, waving at audience members as she goes by. The spotlights go to a dark red as she stands at the main stage, putting the microphone back onto the stand. She starts to sing again.
As Walsh gently dances along to the music, smiling to the audience through the rear screen, 5G starts to play a small part on the keyboard.
She approaches the microphone again, the spotlights becoming a medium hue of green. She starts to sing, tearing up slightly towards the last chorus.
Walsh steps back from the microphone, wiping tears from her face. The spotlight then emphasises the orchestra as the music intensifies.
End.
Walsh walks on stage under a dark blue spotlight. Eliminator, who is behind, starts tapping the hi hat. Conductor Travis Hunt gives the indication to start. 5G starts playing the keyboard once the instrumental starts.
[Instrumental]
Walsh starts to approach the microphone. The light becomes less dim, giving a clearer view of Walsh as she starts to sing.
(Ooh ooh ooh ooh... ooh ooh ooh ooh)
(Ooh ooh ooh ooh... ooh ooh ooh ooh)
(Ooh ooh ooh ooh... ooh)
[Verse]:
I know I've let my heart lead me before
Imagining life with you
Kinda hurts me, maybe
Really hurts me, maybe
How I can't have a day without my night
Why can't your heart just open?
And now I've been left so torn
Walsh grabs the microphone and steps away from the mic stand, walking around to the front centre part of the stage. She interacts with the audience and the main spotlight follows her and changes to a light red colour as she moves.
(Ooh ooh ooh ooh... ooh ooh ooh ooh)
(Ooh ooh ooh ooh... ooh ooh ooh ooh)
Walsh, still standing front centre, stands up from crouching. A close-up of her face is shown on the screen on stage, which gradually pans out to a half-body shot as she moves around the front of the stage. She smiles at an audience member.
[Verse 2]:
Your affection's what I'm gonna miss
Please stop my mind and body aching
Kinda hurts me, maybe
Really hurts me, maybe
How I can't have a day without my night
Why can't your heart just open?
And now I've been left so torn
Walsh walks back to the main section of the stage, waving at audience members as she goes by. The spotlights go to a dark red as she stands at the main stage, putting the microphone back onto the stand. She starts to sing again.
[Chorus]:
Like a bird without its song
A canvas without art
A moon without its stars
Ai-ai-ai ai-i-i
As Walsh gently dances along to the music, smiling to the audience through the rear screen, 5G starts to play a small part on the keyboard.
[Instrumental]
She approaches the microphone again, the spotlights becoming a medium hue of green. She starts to sing, tearing up slightly towards the last chorus.
[Chorus]:
Ay-ay-ay, ai-i-i
Like a bird without its song
A canvas without art
A moon without its stars
Like a bird without its song
A canvas without art
A moon without its stars
Like a bird without its song
A canvas without art
A moon without its stars
Walsh steps back from the microphone, wiping tears from her face. The spotlight then emphasises the orchestra as the music intensifies.
[Instrumental]
End.
