#140 Gina Jeffreys
Born happy and always so grateful for everything but something made Gina loose her sparkle for 6 months where she just cried everyday. This strong women who we crowned "the Queen Of Country" wasn’t going to continue the way things were going and she “reprogrammed” her brain through hard work and dedication into chasing a happier life. We all go through pain and hard times and there is so much to learn from it, says Gina. While stuck in lockdown in Sydney, Australia we catch up with her, learn about how she won Star Maker in Tamworth the year after Keith Urban and then opened for Johnny Cash launching a successful career in the Country music industry.
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Transcript
Rae Leigh: Welcome to a songwriter Tryst with the queen of country music, Gina Jeffreys. How you?
Gina Jeffreys: Hi, Rae I'm great. How about you?
Rae Leigh: I'm good. Since I met you? in Sydney, I've had a few friends, give me some more information and they told me that your title was queen of country. Is that right?
Gina Jeffreys: It's kind of funny. Right? I didn't get lucky and give myself that title
Rae Leigh: Obviously,
Gina Jeffreys: or anything like that.
Rae Leigh: oh, you should make one. I think I'm going to make one. I'll send it to you. Yeah.
Gina Jeffreys: Just to remind Rod
Rae Leigh: Who's the queen yeah, no, I think that's a beautiful title. I didn't grow up with country music, so I had no idea. And then, yeah, I've gone and had a look at your history and you've been very busy and been doing it for a very long time. It's absolutely incredible. So well done.
Gina Jeffreys: Oh, thank you.
Rae Leigh: So I like to start this podcast by getting the artist to share with us a little bit about who you are and where you come from.
Gina Jeffreys: Okay. Well, my name's Gina Jeffreys and I'm from a country town in Queensland called Toowoomba. And my real name was Gina Hillenburg. I made up the name. When I, after I won stomach or when I got my first record deal, uh, the head of the labels said, you can't keep your real name and, and I could choose anything I wanted.
So I chose my brother's name actually. So when people meet him and I think my parents were cool calling him Jeffrey, Jeffrey, I've been Gina Jeffrey since, since 1992. And as you know, I'm also married to rod McCormick. So my actual real name is Gina McCormick. So that's who I am. I'm three people. and I'm
Rae Leigh: It's three people. Why, why do they do that? I'm curious. Cause that's, that is something that happens when people signed to a record label. Is there a reason behind having to change it?
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah. It was really funny because, well, first start, my name was hard to remember and hard to spell and unusual, and the record label just thought it didn't have a ring to it. And look, I, it was funny at first I was like, no, what's wrong with my name? Cause you grow up with the name, your name and you think it's fine.
Yeah. Then one time I went home to my hometown right after I changed it. And, this guy said to me, I think it's ridiculous. You changed your name. He said, there's nothing wrong with Burke Hoffa. And my name, my name was Hillberg and I'm like, that's why I had to change it because you couldn't remember it.
So I.
I encourage a lot of artists cause you know, I mentor a lot of up and coming artists and if they're, if they haven't got already a really easy to remember and, and a name that kind of rolls off the tongue and, you know, sounds kind of story. I think it's a kind of a good idea to change the name because it kind of can give you.
Two identities, you know, you can be when you're on stage or your, that person. And when you're at home in your pajamas, you know, it's, I kind of like the branding of it and that it's harder to offend. Um, because I say to people that I mentor, you know, you kind of like a jar of Vegemite that, that we need to market and not everybody likes that you might, but a lot of people like it and it kind of helps people wrap their heads around the separation between.
Being offended when people say, oh, I didn't really like your last song or, or, you know, you're taller than I thought, or you're shorter then. Oh. And all those comments people make when they meet you when they, for the first time. And if they're fans, I don't know. There's, there's something about it that I think kind of gives you a level of privacy as well.
And so I have, I've advised quite a few of my girls to do that. If they were wondering, I'm like, sure. I think it's a great.
Rae Leigh: Yeah. I love it. I am. I mean, I had to change my name because my name, my real name is a cheesecake I'm Sara Lee. And branding wise, that was never going to work memorable, but
Gina Jeffreys: Very very memorable.
Rae Leigh: yeah, it's always a bit of a joke cause that's who I am, you know, to school and all the medical people and all that sort of stuff when it comes to being a mum. But, um, Yeah. branding wise, it was like, that's not going to work. I can't, I can't be a cheesecake. And, and you also, I just went with my second name, which was Ray.
So Yeah. I think short and simple, easy to remember is, is
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah. Yeah.
Rae Leigh: for branding. Okay. So that happened in 1992. And you got that because you want to start maker, but how did you end up at Toyota StarMaker I like, where did music begin for you?
Gina Jeffreys: Oh, well, I always saying from like, from about four or five, it was really obvious. I was going to be a singer. I used to, every time anyone would come around to the house, I'd be, I'd want to sing for them. I'd want everyone to sit down and be quiet and let me sing from really little, it was really hard.
To my parents, I think. And, um, then when I was 12, I got a guitar for Christmas and I learned to play about four songs and I went out and started busking in Toowoomba in my hometown. And I was just obsessed with it and obsessed with song writing from a really early age. And, um, you know, I was always writing poems and then putting a melody to it.
And then I'd take a tape recorder and go into the bathroom and record myself and then sing it back and sing harmony over it. And then invite my parents into the bathroom to hear me singing. How many on my song.
Rae Leigh: Oh,
Gina Jeffreys: You know, and I have a nine year old, I guess, you know, that I started. And then, I sang, I basked from 12, and played in restaurants and stuff and got into a band when I was 15, by telling them I was 18 and we played it.
Um, and we played it like, BNS balls and weddings and, all that sort of country. We traveled out to real country areas and play it in little old town halls and stuff. And, and then I found out about this Tom quest in Tamworth called star 21, 22, no 22. And, uh, there was this talent quest in Tamworth called stomach that Keith urban had won the year before.
And, um, I, I decided to go in it and I couldn't believe it. I won it and, and that changed everything. You know, it changed everything and. You got a record deal, not long after that. And, um, yeah, that, that's kinda how it all started. And, I think I was just one of those people. Had every intention of becoming a successful singer.
I never even considered a different option. It just was going to happen, you know, in my mind. And I think that's, I'm one of those people who really believes in manifestation. And, uh, even though I didn't really know, know about that back then, I could visualize it and my dad used to say, close your eyes and imagine your winning stomach, you know, imagine that call that your name, Jane and Hillenburg and you know, so I sort of had this heart.
Visualizing winning it. And yeah, and I was just, a lot of it, I mean, you know, it's the right time, right place, there, there was, I think when I first came along, there was not really any contemporary girls yet in country music. It was all still a bit quite good, quite traditional. And, I came along and kind of didn't look traditional as well.
And it's good timing with that first wave of when country music in Australia, in the nineties, and really in Nashville as well, had a big search, , with Garth Brooks and Trisha wood over there and stuff was going nuts there as well. And in Australia we had, uh, James Blundell and Lee Kern again, and, this cool new sound of country that wasn't as influenced by kind of Bush ballads is they slim, dusty and the earlier country stuff was, and I just kind of caught that wave.
And I, I just feel so lucky when I look back, you know, it just, it was, it was like a dream, we sell platinum records and sell that shows and it just went nuts. And, I just feel so lucky I look back at it and go, oh my. Had the best life it's just been, it was incredible, it was quite different to now and, and, , we'd just sell out shows.
Really trying that hard. Like now you have to be so busy on social media and you have to think of new ways and it's, it's a lot more competitive now. And, back then, I don't know, like I said, I, I just caught that first wave of popularity and I, it was like a dream really was like a dream.
Honestly, when I look back at it, I'm just. Well, and, and I guess the big thing that really turned it around was I got asked to open for Johnny Cash. And, I literally went from singing to three people a night in a wine bar in Sydney, with my boyfriend at the time who, you know, the boyfriend before my husband.
And then I literally went from standing on stage. Two, three people who weren't listening to, you know, 15,000 of Johnny's fans and they just embraced me and my album went platinum kind of straight away from there. And then we toured right after that and the tools will sell out. And it's all thanks to that concert, because all of a sudden I was thrown in front of people who love country music and, , I was lucky that they, they embraced me and supported me and, and kind of came on the ride with me and, I'm so grateful.
I think about it all the time. It's like how it just all panned out and, um, yeah. Lucky, lucky
guy.
Rae Leigh: it's incredible. How did you end up opening for Johnny Cash? That's huge.
Gina Jeffreys: Well, , the record label, so not too long. So stomach, it was 91. And I think by 93 I had a record deal. And he was with EMI as well at the time. And back then, I don't know if they still do it, but when a big artist comes to Australia and plays in the big stadiums, they are, they always have to have in Australia.
Performer as well. And sometimes they used to just put them on busking out in the foyer, but the law was, I don't know if it still is, but it was that you had to have an Australian actor as well. And so generally whoever was on the same label, generally, they would look to that stable too. You know, the, of lucky, you know, that's why you would see some of the other artists when other, the other big X came out, depending on what label they were with the, the new artists we get to open.
And yeah, it was just the, uh, freaking incredible opportunity. And yeah, we just jumped at it
and I already had a brand new album that had all the songs ready to go and, um,
Rae Leigh: Yep. You're
Gina Jeffreys: yeah, yeah, yeah. So. It was awesome. And Johnny was just beautiful. He was actually, when we went to Nashville to record my most recent album, um, our really dear friends, the French family lived right near where Johnny and Jakarta cash buried.
And I, I, you can walk there from their house. And, you know, I walked there with chem and I actually cried and I was like, thank you. Like what you did for me by taking this young thing out on the road with you. It's like, it changed my life. And I just, that gratitude kind of hit me standing there looking at his grave.
And of course I wrote a song about it as you know, called cash. Um, and about just expressing, I think the older you get, the more grateful you get. And I think I was grateful back then, but I'm even more grateful now.
Rae Leigh: Yeah. And that's a beautiful song by the way. How's the new album been going?
Cause that's only been up for how long? A few months.
Gina Jeffreys: No. Do you know what it's been out for a couple of years now, what happened was we released it. We just started the tour and COVID hit. So I was in that one.
Yeah, it was in that wash of many artists who had brand new albums out and really got gobbled up by COVID like as did every person on the planet, their life got affected in some massive way, but we just hit the road and the bias hit the really big fires here.
And we were heading into those areas where the fires were in the first couple of shows and I thought, oh, well, you know, it couldn't get worse. And
Rae Leigh: Yeah.
Gina Jeffreys: COVID hit. And, so we, we were out touring, you know, we've, we've pretty much canceled two years of touring. We've done little bit here and there.
That kind of in-between the lockdowns, we've done a few bits, but not like we were hoping. So, so we are in the studio again, and we were about to record a new album, which. This is the great, I mean, you know, I, you know, the way I always look for the best in everything, and I think what's going to happen as a result of, of this, the lockdown and COVID is all as creatives, uh, in sort locked inside writing new music.
And I think there's going to be this golden era for music when we get out the other side of this, because what's happening. All the artists have got new songs. No doubt. I'm guessing. Cause I've been writing my pants off and then, and then when we get out, I think the audiences is busting. There'll be busting the live music.
And so I think it's going to actually be a beautiful golden era with, with music.
That's that's my manifesting that for all of us.
Rae Leigh: I think it's going to be like a Slingshot. I think the COVID is the part pulling us.
all back.
But it will Slingshot once it's released, once we're released into the wild and we're allowed to go out again. It, I think you're right. I think it's going to be just faster and bigger than it's ever been before.
But also like as creatives, we put our emotions into our art and there is a lot of emotions going on around at the moment, especially towards creatives and. I it'd be interesting to see how it manifests.
Gina Jeffreys: I know, right. I think it's going to be awesome. And I love
that link shop. What a great way of thinking of it.
Rae Leigh: Oh yeah. Yeah. I'm getting ready, you know, that, like that suspense
of like, I don't know if you've ever been to dream world, but they had like the giant drop and you're sitting at the top just waiting for it to drop.
Gina Jeffreys: I'm
Rae Leigh: Oh yeah.
Gina Jeffreys: watching.
Rae Leigh: Uh, you know, I wouldn't do it now. Not after three kids, but Yeah, I still remember it. So tell me a little bit about when you're writing songs cause you are a writing machine. I think I was at the studio for like, not even a full day. And you guys wrote like five songs or something.
Tell me about your song writing process. And is there something that you always consider , when you go into a write?
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah, for sure. Well, the first thing that day that you were there, and five days were written. I have a little songwriting school and there are those days and a lot of songs get written because I have a lot of, young. So young students in the studio where I have beautiful as some other teachers as well.
And we set them up with ideas and, and those days, lots of songs come out of the studio. But yeah, generally I write, at the moment, cause I'm writing for a new album. I'm working on at the moment, four new songs, just tweaking and writing new ones as well and constantly writing with my artists that I mentor.
But yeah, I look, I.
Rae Leigh: Yeah.
Gina Jeffreys: I love, I love songwriting. I love the art of songwriting. I kind of see it like a puzzle that you put together and you come up with, first of all, obviously an idea, and it's gotta be something that you feel. Really passionate about. And, I think if it's personal to you, you know, a lot of my, my paper that I get to work with go, oh, this has happened to me.
You know, it might not relate to people because no one else. And I said, you know what? Everyone's been through a lot of the same stuff. And I think the more personal you can be the better that's my thought. So at first, you know, come up with some great ideas. So I always keep a collection of ideas of constantly, you know, writing stuff down on my laptop and saving ideas for whenever I need to.
And then I like to, when I'm teaching it, I always suggest, you know, what, make yourself a playlist of the songs you wish you wrote, you know, those songs that you go, oh my God, I wish I wrote that. Like girl crush. I mean, God, I wish I wrote girl crush. What a great idea. But I have this playlist of those songs that.
I really, really love. And then I feel like stylistically or a direction that I want to go in next for me personally. And I encourage everyone that I'm mentoring to do this as well. And then I think when you listen to those songs over and over and over, they kind of seep in and then when you're riding it kind of, it comes out stylistically with the.
Of all of those songs somehow. So that I've usually got something in my mind that I want something that in a field like this, like, you know, I'm looking for an uptempo song with four on the floor and I want, you know, in my head, I've got an idea of where it's going to go. And, um, and then lyrically. I don't know, it depends who I'm riding with.
So if I'm riding with our Nashville team who we write with all the time and rod and max Jackson, who's my, my favorite song writing partner, we write so naturally we can just start from scratch and we just roll with it. But if I'm writing with some, uh, maybe a less experienced writer, we'll do a mind map, you know, and literally get a piece of paper and write, okay, this song idea is I just did one for the local, um, New south Wales schools, actually with max, that's gonna go out to a former schools.
So we said, okay, the COVID, the COVID lockdown song. And we called it that.
And then we initially that's not the name of the song, but that's where we started. And then
what ideas would come off that, and then you have this little like sun and like the little sand drawing and you know, like, okay, I miss my friends.
It's going places. I miss my team. I miss. And, but what can I still do? I can still dream and I can see my I've got photos and I can turn music up loud and we've kind of wa and then we'd go to all the places. And then we put it together, like a puzzle, like I was saying. And my, my laptop is my main songwriting partner.
Like I CA I couldn't write a song without my laptop. Cause I cut and paste and you look up, Brian's died. Things and, I love writing on the laptop, but yeah. So I look at structures and I think, we'll generally, it'll go verse, verse pre-chorus chorus verse pre-chorus chorus, solo chorus app, potentially it breaks in there, and this there's basic structures, but I think that's a real thing.
Syllable counts and, like if you're first versus say nine syllables in line one and seven in line two and nine in line three and seven in line four, generally those two should do that as well. And the.
Rae Leigh: Yeah.
Gina Jeffreys: I'm really strict with that because I'm a lyricist. I do melody as well, but lyrics is really my thing.
And if I do follow those rules and you can kind of see it, even just looking at the page, you can see if it's too long and once too short, it's going to be too hard to find a melody. If, if you haven't got a general kind of syllable count, the melody is really hard to
find unless you're a rapper. And if you're a rapper, I can't
help because I don't know about rapping.
I don't know.
Rae Leigh: it's okay. We can't all be perfect. Everything.
Gina Jeffreys: But, yeah, so, I sort of stick to that loosely when I'm writing for myself and then I'll find a melody will come a lot more easily. Um, I very rarely write on my own. I mostly write with people and I think that's one of the tricks is, write, write with someone who is, who is good at your way.
So that max is awesome at melody and lyrics are really my thing. So we make a really great team and, and that look, I'm okay at melody, but I'm the world's second worst guitar player. Second on. He's just someone who's never played ever. So, I could play enough to, I could play enough, but you know, I wouldn't play on stage yet.
Maybe I will one day, but after lockdown I might be better. But that's my thing. I just, I surround myself with great. And, and people that I respect and who respect me as a writer as well. And then if you're in that comfort zone, where you feel really comfortable together, and you're brave enough to say really stupid idea that they, you know, that they'll, we all laugh about it.
It's not too embarrassing. You get, I just like, you know, I have to kind of feel comfortable when it's, for me, when I'm running with others for their project, it's, it's a whole different ball game, you know? Why braver for them, if it's for another artist, I'm like, yeah, do this. But then when it's, for me, I'm like, Ooh, hang on, hang on.
So, but yeah, I look, I love it, but I definitely have structures and rhyme schemes and things that I follow and, But, you know, obviously there's, there's a lot of, freedom, but cause because I'm really one of those writers that write that can channel right as well, where stuff just arrives, you know, it's like, I'll just try and get into the zone and really focus.
And, I'm really working on at the moment, really being in the moment, you know, with everything, even with like hanging out the washing, enjoy feeling the sun, or if you're walking, you know, notice the birds and the, and the beautiful flowers and leaves and stuff. Like I really, really. Getting the moment and that's really, something that's been great for me actually with lockdown is I've really learned to do that.
And then I find because I'm really good at, at the present moment. So writing it's, I can focus a lot better than I ever could before. And if you can give it a hundred percent focus and when I do that and get in the zone, stuff just arrives really quickly for me. Like, I'll just write it down and then put it in shape later.
If it might not arrive in perfect syllable camp, but you kind of fix that as you go. Yeah, just although I love
it. It's just the funniest thing
ever
Rae Leigh: I think being in the moment is really good mental strength, and it's very mentally healthy as well, especially given the fact that we can't control the feature at the moment. I mean, we never really could anyway, but even less, less idea or feeling of control. And so being in enjoying the moment and realizing that you're safe and enjoying the little things like the sun and having a good
day,
Gina Jeffreys: Oh, absolutely. And being grateful. Uh, I do journaling, and I mentor a lot of this stuff with, a lot of artists and journaling is so good. And if you just write down three things a day that you're grateful for, and sometimes on a bad day, all it is is that the sun was beautiful and, and I'm breathing in.
And, , I had nastiness, I don't have too many bad days. I'm happy human, but. Yeah, there's always something to be grateful for. And I just find such a great flow with life, being in that mindset of gratitude and manifesting and, just loving life and loving where you are, but being excited about the future and knowing things you can't change.
And just embracing the moment. I mean, we, we can't do it so hard on the music industry right now, because what we love to do and, you know, we love to write songs, but I think the funniest part of being in the music industry is performing and you know, that we're all addicted to it. Getting on stage and, you know, and being with people, I'm a people person and it's like, so that's been taken away from us.
And also, you know, as an artist, not only has the joy of performing being taken away, but I live in, you know, how we all make a living. So it's, it's a tough time and you just really have to, we have no choice, but to be grateful and go, you know what? I've got all this time and I can write songs and I've never had so much time to be creative.
To just enjoy dinners like your family and, and yeah, I'm
actually just embracing it because what else
can you do?
Rae Leigh: Oh, I think it's a beautiful mindset to have. And I did notice like, especially like your Instagram, it's always got some really positive, sayings and things on there that look that I love. And I,
Gina Jeffreys: Uh, thank you
Rae Leigh: I've definitely, had a similar of just ha like for me, it's taken a lot of real mental strength and training and.
Constantly choosing, even when I don't want to, to be optimistic, you know, and to be like, whoa, how did that, how did you. get yourself into that space where it's easier to, I guess, make those choices and like, what was the journey for you into this happier mindset? More opt, be an optimism.
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah, well, the cloud was born really happy. Like I was a kid who woke up happy. I'd never woke up grumpy and I'm just generally happy human. But then I got knocked for six. When, on my 39th birthday, , Ron and I lost a baby and a, an IVF baby at that. So yeah. And it took us a really long time to fall pregnant with Jackie who's now 18.
And, we had to go to IVF. Full pregnant for the second time. And that was traumatic in itself. And then we lost, that the pregnancy and, that was, you know, that. I lost it. I was, I cried for six months. I reckon I cried for six months and I lost my sparkle and I always was a sparkly person.
And then at one point I just decided I don't, this is not me. I don't want to be sad for the rest of my life. And I actually drove past a church that said happiness is loving what you already have. And I was like, oh, Hang on a minute.
Rae Leigh: church.
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah. And I went, well, I already have this awesome kid and, and a beautiful husband.
And, you know, I have a lot to be grateful for. And then I just, from that moment, I decided to, I went to counseling hypnotherapy. I did everything you can think of to read a lot of books. And, and I really, really.
Yeah, and I retrained my brain. I absolutely re I used to run around, you know, where you've been to our recording studio.
There's a big valley here and I would run the valley every morning and I would say out loud affirmations, everybody must've thought I was insane. But in this positive affirmation mode and I just retrained my brain to be happy and to be, and to not wallow because you can't go back and you can't change anything.
We only have the present moment. And so, no matter what I did, that's what happened. It's part of our history and I. Change that. So I just decided to enjoy the moment and look forward. And I literally reprogrammed my brain and body with positive affirmations. Anyway, because of that, it's funny how, you know, people say, oh, everything happens for a reason and, and you can't see it when you're going through it, because it was like, there's no way I, I couldn't see anything good in that.
And now that I look back and I'm 53 and that happened when I was 39, I look back and I go, you know what? I went through that because I needed to learn. This stuff. And now I get to pay that forward. You know, I've got all these beautiful artists that I mentor they're from all over Australia. I've got some in LA Nashville who we talk about, you know, this positive mindset and, um, how to be in the moment and how to play.
We do five-year planning and, and we do a lot of manifestation training and meditation and journaling, and basically the nuts and bolts of it is gratitude and calm. And, um, and as life changing, you know, like it's, it's incredible that the results that I'm saying in all my girls, they're all girls at the moment that I'm mentoring.
And, but they're, you know, they're getting record deals and publishing deals and in the rolling stone and winning big songwriting awards. Awesome stuff going on and, and we will really celebrate each other's success. I think that's key as well is just being truly
happy when another person wins something or you just, with all your heart, happy for them, not jealous or envious.
And knowing that there's plenty of space, there's plenty of room for all of us to be successful. And you know that, so that whole mindset I learnt a real, it was a really freaking hard long road to learn how to do this, but in hindsight, it. It was perfect for me in my journey. And I love who it made me become.
And I'm quite different now to who I was back then. And yeah. You know, I loving every second and just, I can say the good in everything now. And, and I'm so hopeful about the future and I love it love every second and just really try and enjoy life. And, and whenever, you know, there are always down moments, obviously in everybody's life, particularly with no one was expecting a pandemic, no one was expecting out, you know, when you're manifesting a career and you want to, a lot of my artists want to move to Nashville or LA.
And obviously we can't now in we're changing. We, we couldn't, obviously we can't control what's going to happen, but , we can keep dreaming and keep manifesting and keep believing and keep working on our craft and use this time to get better and better at what it is she do. And
That's a very long answer, but that's the truth of how it, how I got to where I am right now with, with that, positivity and sparkle that I'm
trying to spread around.
Rae Leigh: Thank you so much for sharing that. Cause that sounds like a really hard journey, but you're right. You don't know how, how grateful you can be until you have experienced those low moments and you know what you've been through and how resilient and strong you are.
Gina Jeffreys:
Yeah. You don't know how strong you are until you have to be right?
Rae Leigh: Right, right. And that sounds like you've definitely been tested and, , as much as it's not nice, the confidence, I think that you've gained from going through that and coming out the other side with such a positive attitude, is so inspirational. And, we need to hear those stories. Sometimes we need to know.
For those people who are in those low moments, we need to know that other people go through them as well. And that they're okay.
And so it's kind of like hope that it's going to be Okay. Even if you don't know how or why or where, or when it will be, eventually you kind of just have to believe it. And I think by sharing our stories with other people of how we've survived, help other people realize that they will survive as well.
And so thank you for sharing this beautiful. I you reminded me of.
The same, that used to always get me through it, which was really similar to that sign you saw at church was you'll never have it all until you learn to love it all. And that was very similar. Like, you know, you've just got to love everything you have and be grateful.
Gina Jeffreys: Absolutely. Absolutely. I love that. Yeah. I love level that I can talk about that stuff all day. It's just my favorite thing. I've seen it make massive differences in people's lives and, I know I said. To the universe, you know, it's, if you, if you know what you want, you need to be very clear on where you're heading.
And this is what I say to artists too. And dream big, you know, dream really big. Why not? And if you're really clear on what you want, you sort of set that out to the universal God whatevers or the berries and angels or whatever it is that you're into. But if you don't know what it is you want, how can anyone else know what your big dream is?
I always say to my girls that I mentor it's like, if you don't. Even putting, writing what you would love with your career and your life, but it in writing. And it it's like if you went to the hairdresser for a haircut and you got long hair, like let you and me, and you didn't take photos and you didn't tell the hairdresser how you want it.
You come out with like a mullet and, and that's not, that's not what you're after. And like, so you need, you need to know, you need to be really clear on what it is you want and then start dreaming it and working towards it. Yeah. Ask a belief give thanks for safe is what I say and it's, and it's really important to show your gratitude and give thanks.
And, people do that in prayer or do it in gratitude journals or whatever, but it's just like noticing the little stuff and being grateful for little things. And then the big things come along and drain big. Everybody like drink big one.
Rae Leigh: yeah, absolutely. It's it is a bit of a tall poppy syndrome in Australia. I think when people say they want to be something huge, I think there can be a little bit of like backlash from some people, but it is just projection on what their belief limits are. , And you shouldn't put limits on your beliefs. Absolutely. A hundred percent agree on that. And I think like learning about emotional, mental health and emotions as songwriters and uncreated is like, that's kind of, our job is to study emotions and be super emotionally intelligent because that is our color palette for what we write with and what we create with.
And So study it. Absolutely.
Yeah.
Gina Jeffreys: totally. So what is, you know, as a songwriter and you get to chance to talk about things that people often can't talk about in real life, you know, like grief and anger and, any of those emotions that you might feel uncomfortable. Speak it that we can write about them.
And it's such therapy as well, to be able to write about them. And, and as somewhat as job I think is to be the voice for those who can't write a song and then people hear those words and they go that's me. That happened to me. And , it's a real game. To be able to do that. And, it's something to feel totally grateful for, but yeah, you're right.
It's I think it's the best job in the world. As I said, a lots of people it's like, it's so important. What we do, you know, I know it's, we're not doctors or, or school teachers or whatever, but music, people need music and people need to, you know, it's, it's such an escape and it's, it's I tell all my girls, it's a, I feel like it's a really important job and it's also the best job in the world.
Rae Leigh: I was fighting songs. For my entire life. And it was just for me, I was too scared because I thought if I shared it with anyone and I didn't like it, I would lose my music and I couldn't afford to lose my music because it's the thing that keeps me alive. And it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I was like, hang on a second.
This music has saved my life. And it is a gift like you just said, you know? And then I realized not everyone has that gift to be able to write songs. And that was why I started sharing it. Cause I was like, if these songs can save my life, Maybe they can do it for someone else. And if it could just do it for one other person, it's worth sharing as scary as it was.
I think I also had the realization that no one could take my music for
me.
Gina Jeffreys: yeah, totally.
Rae Leigh: I, I really did think because I've seen
people, go study music or they they've gone and done like a Australian idol or one of those auditions. And I've seen them be really passionate about music.
Do an audition, be rejected like once and then quit. And when I saw that, I was like, oh my gosh, I could never do that. Because if I quit music, that's like me quitting my life.
It was
Gina Jeffreys: totally. Oh,
Rae Leigh: I thought that that was possible. I
thought it was totally possible that you could. That someone ever being rejected could stop me from having music.
And I, I don't know. It sounds silly when I say it out loud, but it was a real, genuine fear of mine that I would lose my music.
Gina Jeffreys: I think it's understandable because we're so vulnerable as songwriters and because most so out is that I've met often they have their suffering anxiety or they're socially awkward or whatever, because we're, creatives and we're a little softer than a lot of people. And we can feel emotions more deeply.
Like I cry. Quickly and I laugh quickly. I have, both sides of the spectrum. It comes out very easily for me and a lot of songwriters like that because we're very emotional, but it also makes you very vulnerable and you could be embarrassed too. People don't like your music or, , if anyone criticizes it, but you have to kind of, when we get back to the changing United thing, I think that can give you the protection
Rae Leigh: the role.
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah, that's right. And, and that's what I say to, to all my people. Don't forget. We're locked. Veggie might not everybody likes Vegemite, so not everyone is gonna like your song, but a heap of people love Vegemite. So there's going to be a lot that do, but there's no way everyone can love the next song I released or you release.
It's like, it's just not possible. And that's okay. Because we're not all like the same stuff. And I think when you wrap your head around that and yeah, but it is hard because we are so vulnerable in particularly with social media now where people can make a comment just so quickly and easily. And, and those, people who sit behind a keyboard and can be kinda nasty.
It's like that that's scary, but I guess you have to just. And, , believe in yourself enough and just go, I don't care what they think, but yeah, it can hurt. So it that's, but it's the double double-edged thing. Isn't it. As, as a writer,
we were vulnerable and that's, and we have to be
though, if we weren't, we wouldn't write
Rae Leigh: ourselves out to be judged. Yeah. And there's many people out there who love to love as people that love to hate. And Yeah.
you're, you are literally putting yourself up on a board and saying, okay, project all of your crap onto me. I know I'm going to take it. I can do this, but Yeah.
no, it's, it's a beautiful gift.
And I think like you said, having those dreams, I think that is what, for me, it's like what I hold on to. It's like, and that's what helps me be confident in the decisions I make, because it's like, okay, it doesn't matter what it is. Like any decision I have to make. If I know what my dream is, I just go, is this going to help me get closer to my dream or further
away?
Gina Jeffreys: Oh yeah.
Rae Leigh: I'm so indecisive, like I'm a Pisces and
I'm a very indecisive person, but as soon as I have a dream or a goal, I'm like every decision I made. Is it going to get me closer to my goal or further away, and then it's just an easy yes
or no
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah.
Rae Leigh: so it's like, this is going to help me. Yes. Okay.
Let's do it. This isn't going to help me. No, let's not do that
Gina Jeffreys: yeah, that's awesome. I
Rae Leigh: way. I used to be a personal trainer. It's the same with that, , is eating
chocolate going to get me closer to my fitness? No,
Gina Jeffreys: That's a good
Rae Leigh: or no?
Gina Jeffreys: at it.
Rae Leigh: Yeah.
Gina Jeffreys: think too, with, with a lot of artists, they call themselves perfectionist and that, that gives them permission to not release a song or not finish a song. And I'm like, get over yourself and finish the song and release it. You gotta put that music. Yeah. There, you can always do another song.
It's like, I've seen so many artists just not brave enough to release their music yet. And I'm like, Put it out to the world, it's like, once you go up to the point where you love it, let it go. And I see that a lot where people are just too nervous to take that first step. Just do it, put it
Rae Leigh: don't think any, I don't think anyone out there in the world, the most famous people with the most famous songs in the world, I don't think any of them would tell you that that song was 100% perfect. Do you know what I mean? Like, and it's just it, because if you hit perfection, what's the point in doing anything else? That's it. You're done.
Gina Jeffreys: My, my first producer, uh, goth Porter, who was the keyboard player in, , sherbet and he's this beautiful, beautiful human he produced my first couple of albums. I said to him one time and I was on a yacht in the street. And I said, when do you know, you're finished? Because you just keep adding so much more to it, you know, to the song or to the, you know, when my recording, when, when you know it's finished and he said, Gina, a good artist knows when to put the paintbrush.
Rae Leigh: Mm.
Gina Jeffreys: And I love that because that goes, I might it's finished and that it is what it is. And, and I think they call records a record because it's exactly that it's a record of where you were at that point in your life, but sonically and emotionally, and you have to go well. Yes, it's perfect for that. That's what I was feeling at that time.
And that's what music sounded like at that time. That is what it is, you know, we could have kept going and going and going and changing it and rewriting it and adding another fiddle pot and adding another, you know, and it could go on forever and ever, but like I said,
the good artist knows when to put the paintbrush down.
Rae Leigh: Yeah. And you got to let it just dry and
be what it is. I love that. Yeah. yeah, you can always, you can always add more paint to a painting. I would, yeah. . I've really liked that one. Okay. Tell me, cause we were talking about advice now.
Tell me what's the worst advice you've ever been given.
You know that sometimes like that thing that someone says you should do it and you do it and then you go hang on a second. That was really bad advice.
I should never have done that.
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah, I'm funny. Cause I, I have this thing where I just look back at my life and every mistake I made kind of, you know, put me on the road to where I needed to be. , so I don't know. I've, I've had lots of advice, but, um, Mostly good advice, because I've always tried to surround myself with people that I respect and trust, but now there's gotta be something like really bad haircut.
For instance,
Rae Leigh: well, okay. What's the best advice you think you ever got then outside of put the paintbrush
down?
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah.
that was, that was a pretty good one. Uh, I think, you know, I probably, my, my parents just saying you can do anything. If you try from when I was really little, my mum would say to me, you can do anything if you try. So that's me, you know, with this determination and Ability to believe from a really early age, I guess.
So that, that was pretty good. And there's been so many great, great pieces of advice since then, you know, like I've I learned from the songwriters that I work with all the time and, I dunno, it's I I've,
Rae Leigh: I love that.
Gina Jeffreys: um,
Rae Leigh: parents for saying that.
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah, they're amazing. They're just the best people. There's just apps. And that just mum was a hairdresser.
Dad was a builder and dad was like, you know, I guess to me, the first new age philosopher that I'd ever met, he didn't realize he was doing that. But that thing that I'm so into now, he would set, talk to me about psychological reciprocity and talk to me about, you know, close your eyes and visualize this happening for you in particular, when we were heading to Tamworth to go into stomach or so, you know, a lot of it.
It really comes from my parents that, that kind of sparkly, confident person that I am, I, I got from them. And, and that was great early on advice. And, uh, there's been like heaps of advice since on, you know, fashion advice that's worked out well or
hasn't, um, you know, I say,
Rae Leigh: Fashion advice is a one.
I always take everyone else's fashion advice. Never. I'll just give you a tip, never take my fashion advice. Always do the opposite of any fashion advice I give, because I know, I know not to give it. It is just not a skill that is in my peripherals, but, um, I don't know.
Like I came from a family that's completely opposite. Like I'm a big dreamer and I come up with ideas and dreams all day long. That's just one of the things that I do. And. I was constantly like, don't drink too hard. Don't set your expectations too high, we can try, but it's, you know, don't, don't expect that you're actually going to succeed at that.
Like that was my childhood. And so I definitely had a chip on my shoulder of like, well,
I'll prove you wrong, you know?
Gina Jeffreys: yeah.
yeah,
Rae Leigh: it's hard. It's hard when you've constantly got people saying, no, no, no, you can't do
that. Versus like, I talked to so many people who have parents who are like, you can do anything and it's.
I see and talk to some people and it's just, it's a big thing to come over. But even me, I had, I'm married my husband and he's the person that said, you know, you can do this. And he's been my biggest supporter And follower, but everyone needs someone to just believe in
them.
Gina Jeffreys: And that's such a lovely thing. Yeah, that's totally true. Everyone needs someone to believe in. That's a beautiful thing I had when I first, when I first left Toowoomba, um, the wife of the guitar player in the band I was working at the time said, you watch, she'll come home with a tail between the legs.
And I heard that and that
made me go, yeah, that made me. Oh, no, I went, so that was actually probably the, that
was great that she said that because I was
like, no, no, no, no.
Rae Leigh: I can't do that now.
Gina Jeffreys: you
Rae Leigh: Yeah. I can't let her be right. Yeah. I love
that.
Gina Jeffreys: that, that, little, little fire that I had sort of probably never had before that you were saying you, you had that, that you wanted to prove them
wrong, which, which is a powerful thing, isn't it?
Rae Leigh: Yeah.
Like don't tell me what I
can't do. Like,
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah.
Rae Leigh: because cause then I'm gonna like kill
myself, making sure that that doesn't happen
Gina Jeffreys: Exactly. Exactly.
Rae Leigh: All right. So if, if he could talk, talking about the girl that left Toowoomba, if you could go back in time and you make yourself at that stage in your life, and you could just give yourself one piece of advice, what would you do?
Gina Jeffreys: Gosh, I would say.
Keep laughing all the time. Like you already do and keep dreaming big, like you already did.
Rae Leigh: Hm.
Gina Jeffreys: Um, cause I, I just always did, you know, I never thought for a second. I mean, you know, I told a boyfriend who, a guy who was trying to be my boyfriend. He kept asking me out, like he used to speak toll. Um, African-American basketball player.
Don't know why I was living in Toowoomba, but he's asked me that he used to ask me out every, like coming to the, I was working in hairdressing salon. When I first left school, I headrest for four or five years. And because my parents told me I needed a real job to fall back. Which
that? I just said I didn't, but I could, can give rod haircuts
in lockdown.
So it works out good.
Rae Leigh: works. I've been trying to cut my kid's hair and that's not been working very well, but.
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah.
I'm glad I had those skills, but yeah. He's asked me out a lot coming to this, sell on and, and eventually I said, look, I can't go on a date. I'm not going to get serious with you because I'm moving to Sydney. I'm going to be famous. And then he never came back again because he must've thought I was a nut bag.
But, I just always had this thing that I, I thought that I would succeed. So I was really blessed to have.
Being born pretty positive. And then born into that family who, who were super positive and kind and all that sort of stuff. I forgot Navy question now because I went off on such a tangent, but
the
Rae Leigh: No it
Gina Jeffreys: basketball player. Okay.
Rae Leigh: you got, well, you've got me thinking about him now. sexy.
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah.
Rae Leigh: I think I asked you, what would you say to yourself? and you said, just keep believing yourself.
Really?
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah, and that you're going to be okay. And you know what the other thing is that life is not going to turn out how you're expecting it to, but it's going to be fantastic. And that's what I've learned with all of my manifestation work is like you had this dream and it doesn't mean you're going to get exactly.
Yeah. But you got to get something fabulous. Cause as, as a little girl, I was expecting to be a singer and I a successful singer, but I thought I'd be married with two or three kids. And, I thought right now my life would have looked quite differently to what it does. And, and when we only ended.
One child of our own. We have two big ones from Rod's first marriage should be a door, but I only got one and that's not what I was expecting. And that was a big change for me to wrap my head around. Like that was as a woman, you know, you've got in your head, this, this idea of how many kids you're going to have, and you know, that dream, what that dream life looks like.
And when I realized, okay, it doesn't look like what I was expecting. But it's can still be fabulous, you know, it's, you have to love what you already have and, and life's turned out so beautiful, but it was a big goal shift for me. And I think that's the thing with people wanting to be artists. It may not be exactly what you think it's going to be.
You know, perhaps you might not be headlining at Coachella by by 2023, but there'll be something fabulous. That's a different fabulous. And it's and we, we don't know what that is because, we dream big, but it, it can be, it it'll still be fantastic, but I think the universe has amazing plans or God or whatever it is, you believe amazing plans ahead for all of us.
And we, we just got to, drain work hard on what it is that we love to do and believe something wonderful is going to happen. And it does, you know, I, I, that's what I think. So that's what I'd say to that.
Rae Leigh: have a bit of faith in something.
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah. I decided that little girl is not going to be what you think, but it's going to be awesome.
So capable of and keeping sparkly and happy.
Rae Leigh: I'm a big believer that you don't always get what you want, but you'll always get we in
need.
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah, exactly. Exactly.
Rae Leigh: sometimes we need a bit of a kick in the butt.
Sometimes I know that that happened. Listening to your story. I'm the complete opposite. I was never going to get married. I was never going to have kids.
I was very much going to cure cancer and be a rockstar. You know, like that was me as a kid. I was a bit of a ambitious person and a dreamer, but I didn't. Want a husband that didn't want that whole family life, but it's absolutely exactly what I needed and it's the best thing that's ever happened to me.
But it's mostly the best thing that's ever happened to me. And,
you know, Yeah.
If you had asked me when I was younger, where I'd be in my life, um, being married with three children, By the time I was 28 was definitely not going to
be
Gina Jeffreys: well,
Rae Leigh: but it's the best thing that's ever happened to me. Okay. I'm going to ask you this last question and then I'll let you go. If you could co-write with anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Gina Jeffreys: Wow. Dolly Patton. Does everyone say Dolly pawn?
Rae Leigh: Well, I mean all the good people say Dolly. Pardon? Cause that's what I that's who I would say,
Gina Jeffreys: Oh
Rae Leigh: um, I usually get it.
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah, I look, I think Dolly Parton, because she's just the most extraordinary songwriter. When you look back through her catalog and the brilliance, her mind. She's also a really kind, well, she seems I haven't met her. I would love to meet her. She seems like a really kind generous human, um, with all those qualities that I really, really admire.
And she's just written hit after hit after hit. And, um, she's just so honest and raw in her writing and yeah.
Dolly Parton. Oh, wow. Wouldn't that be?
Rae Leigh: Oh, it's one of my secrets, dream, goals of this podcast would be?
even just have a conversation
with her would
Gina Jeffreys: Oh, wouldn't that be
Rae Leigh: you know, like it
Gina Jeffreys: I know yet that thing where people say, what would Dolly do you know when you're thinking in life decisions?
What would you do?
Rae Leigh: Yeah. It would always be good. A good outcome. If you think that way you're going to have it.
Gina Jeffreys: Okay.
Rae Leigh: Because look what hella her life turned out. You know, It looks pretty, pretty good from where I'm sitting. It looks pretty good. I mean, she might have a different view,
but
Gina Jeffreys: no, I think she's, I think she's living a great life.
Rae Leigh: yeah, I had someone say one day, your day is someone else's worst day, but someone else's best day. And so it's like, it's all about how you look at it. Isn't it.
Gina Jeffreys: exactly.
Yeah, exactly. Wow.
Rae Leigh: Yeah. Do you have anyone else that you would like to
say it was just Dolly dull is the
main,
Gina Jeffreys: At least the main one. Um,
Rae Leigh: that's cool.
Gina Jeffreys: maybe Lori McKenna. I love her stuff.
Yeah. Any of those, like Hillary? I can't think what her last name is right now. Who writes with Lauren McKenna. Hillary,
I'm not gonna be able remember her
last name. I could look it up.
Rae Leigh: Okay, Darren asking me I'm not the best with
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah.
Let's just say Laura
McKenna for sure.
Rae Leigh: Okay. Yeah. Cool. Awesome. All right. I know that you guys are still in lockdown, right?
Gina Jeffreys: Yes.
Rae Leigh: No, where in lockdown, this is locked down sisters, but, um, do you like, what are you recording? Some more songs what's coming up next. What can people be expecting from the queen of country music?
Gina Jeffreys in the next six months.
So.
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah, well, I'm, I'm writing songs right now and we're getting ready to record. Um, we're actually going to release an album and it's with my, one of my besties, Tonya Finnegan. So we're going to do some duets and some, new solo songs and combine it on an album. And we're going on tour. You know, uh, Gladys swilling and COVID locked down
pulling next year.
Raffish I was going to be at the 10 with country music festival. It's called country girls night out. So it's like a real
Rae Leigh: Oh, I saw that.
Gina Jeffreys: Yeah, and we're taking
out two young girls mixed Jackson. Who's one of my best friends as well. And one of my main songwriting partners and a new girl called Courtney Kyle.
And it's like gonna be a drink champagne and, you know, just all very up positive songs, like a rocking band. And so the album is going to be very up and energetic and electric. So my last album was all acoustic and very soft and , lots of how many days and a very different approach, whereas this one's going to be.
Full of energy and, yeah, very excited that I've got some really cool songs ready to go. Uh, but we're going to have to work out cause Tanya lives in Queensland. So she's probably gonna have to put her vocals down up there. We'll do vocals and production obviously here and asked you to I with rod, my husband producing it.
And yeah, you're the first person I've told about it. So we're, we are very, very excited and yeah, lots of songs I'm busting
to play for everybody. And, but I can't just
Rae Leigh: how great. How great is it that you can collaborate, even though we're all in locked down and stuck in our houses. If you've got a microphone and a few things, we can collaborate and
Gina Jeffreys: Oh, I know.
Rae Leigh: with
people,
you know.
Gina Jeffreys: That's a thing to love about, um, the whole COVID thing coming in and, and, you know, there's a lot of things to love about it, but the things I love about it, zoom, you know, we used to, we used to fly to Nashville to write with our friends in Nashville. We brought with them two or three times a week now on zoom.
And we're like, Hey, we were more connected with them than we've ever been, you know, because we're really close, really close friends. And it's just awesome. And then, you know, Tanya jumped on zoom the other day and wrote a song with us for this part, for this project. And it's just the best. And yeah, so it's kind of, well, it's nice.
This all feels so far apart. It's also made us feel more together, you know, because we can just jump on and see each other's
faces. And I love that about it.
Rae Leigh: I think in the music world, even though, you know, used to be kind of, you have to be in Nashville, you have to be sort of in a music hub to be around it. And I still think that definitely there are benefits to that, but we can kind of be together and we can connect with each other and we can work together, , from anywhere in the world now.
And it's absolutely incredible. Like this podcast I was looking at the other day, we chatted, I think in Australia, we were. 15 for music
interviews. Right. But out of all of them outside of like ABC will the only
independent Australian, podcasts in that list. And I was like, that's like really, really cool that I can sit in my bedroom in the gold coast and, you know, like talk to people from all over the world.
And I dunno, like most of my songs have been recorded and produced in Romania, but like I did the vocals in my bedroom, you know, like we
can do that sort of
Gina Jeffreys: Isn't it
incredible. Yeah. Yeah. It's incredible. Very
Rae Leigh: I never thought that was possible before, you know, I think
that's why I didn't do all that as well. Cause I thought I had to do it all myself or I
Gina Jeffreys: Oh yeah. Yeah. Well, congratulations with the success of the
podcast. That's awesome.
Rae Leigh: oh, that's so weird. It's very strange, but it's, it's fantastic to know that we're giving a voice. And I think as a space that people needed, I think we needed to be able to connect. So I needed it. Um, cool. Well, the podcast is yours. Is there anything else you would like to say to everyone before we finish
up?
Gina Jeffreys: Oh to all of you so glad is that there? Just do it. Don't be perfectionist. Just get out there and write a song and, listen to music that you love. That's I think one of the greatest ways to light up an idea for a song is to hear new music. So I'm constantly searching for new music that excites me and inspires me.
And when we can go and see live shows, because that's so inspiring as a songwriter and yeah, just look everywhere for inspiration. It's it's all around.
Rae Leigh: I love that. Thank you so much for jumping on here and sharing. So vulnerably your journey and I'm going to.
Gina Jeffreys: me.
Rae Leigh: Oh, it's I know. And we've been planning it for a while and it just finally got there and I will believe in perfect timing, divine timing, but I'm going to put in the description of the podcast, all of your links, your socials, your music, your Spotify, everything.
So people can go and listen to all of your music, um, and just follow your journey as well. And, and Adele, definitely. If I can get to Tamworth, obviously, um, COVID willing,
Gina Jeffreys: Oh, yeah.
Rae Leigh: there. That goes on out. Sounds amazing.
Gina Jeffreys: Aw, thank you. Yeah, it's going to be fun. It's going to be really, oh yeah. I'm just in my head. I'm like it's happening. It's definitely having, which just says that we just have to plan like everything's sent me.
Rae Leigh: Well, I think that's the best way to live is just plan for the best and you know, or hope for the best and plan for the worst as well.
I haven't, yeah, you can't stop planning.
Gina Jeffreys: No, you can't stop dreaming.
Rae Leigh: you know? Yeah. You just got to keep doing it and, and make the most of whatever we can do at any given point.
So Yeah. Thank you so much for jumping over. I really appreciate it.
Gina Jeffreys: Ah, thank you so much for having me. I'm really, really, really grateful. And it's lovely.
They're lovely to get to talk to you.
Rae Leigh: You too.
