Mysterious newcomer Montana Sharp has announced her breathtaking debut single Greenhouse, a theatrical pop ballad about the lengths humans will go to protect themselves, even if it ends up hurting even more in the long run, out NOW.  It’s a fascinating song and a wild debut – one which is accompanied by a showstopping film clip, directed by Majella Productions (Mo’Ju, Ecca Vandal, Birdz).  The clip sees Montana riding around on an endless carousel, cloaked in luscious red and gold, and watched on by spectators. 

After watching this clip (check it out below) and hearing this brilliant song for the first time, you may be wondering, where on Earth did Montana Sharp come from? With a background in classical piano since early childhood and studying pop voice at Monash University, this highly trained, highly skilled musician has managed to marry complex chord structures and motifs found in classical music with modern pop songwriting conventions – and the result is incredibly captivating, catchy music.  Greenhouse is just the beginning – there’s so much more to come from the mysterious Montana Sharp. We were lucky enough to hear exclusively from Montana on her top 5 singles of 2020 so far:

  1. Exile (Taylor Swift + Bon Iver)

I listen to this song and a Nicholas Spark drama romance movie flashes across my eyes. All of a sudden I’m 13 again and wishing I was the angelic soft-spoken leading lady lusting after the mysterious troubled hot dude who is secretly a nice guy, I think I’ve seen this film before. Also, Bon Iver’s bassy gruff vocals got me feeling some kinda way. Delicious songwriting and production. 

2.            Watermelon Sugar (Harry Styles)

Is it a sexual innuendo for cunninglingus or does Harry just love fruit – WHO CARES. It’s a bop, it’s kitschy meets top 40, it’s the source of constant entertainment on TikTok. Harry has changed his style (I’m sorry) and I’m all about it. We all want to be that watermelon in the music video. 

3.            Anyone (Demi Lovato)

This song is so personal to me, as I’m sure strikes a chord with many out there who feel like they’re suffering in silence. I particularly resonate with the line “I feel stupid when I sing”, and its reassuring to hear that kind of vulnerability from someone who is such a powerhouse vocalist. I’ve been a long time Lovatic from way back when and she never disappoints. 

4.            Truth (Tess Hannah)

Tess is a badass songwriter and I dig the grunge vibes of this track. It’s pretty fearless in its lyricism and is delivered with immense vocal purity. Everytime Tess belts that B note at the end, all the dopamine and serotonin centres in my brain light up. It makes me feel like I could go win a boxing match and then write an angsty journal entry about it. 

5.            Predator (Alanis Morissette, sung by Kathryn Gallagher)

This song was one of two that were written for the broadway adaptation of the Jagged Little Pill Album. It’s full of my favourite Alanisms; insanely cinematic chord progressions, delicate piano motifs, very poignant and direct lyrics about the female experience, and epic peaks and valleys. If you listen to Greenhouse and listen to songs like this one, I’m sure you can hear the direct influences.