Thelma Plum’s regional tour, I’m Sorry, Where Is That?, is inching towards Shepparton.
Photo by
Em Jensen
Thelma Plum threw verbal darts.
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Without aiming, she hit the hearts of her listeners, punctuating souls with her velvety voice and sharp lyricism in her sophomore album, I’m Sorry, Now Say It Back.
Nowadays, her poignant words are more direct – aimed squarely at the masses on her regional tour.
The tour, titled I’m Sorry, Where Is That?, is inching towards Shepparton, arriving on Saturday, July 5, at Riverlinks Eastbank.
Are rural fans rejoicing? Yes.
Was it surprising? No.
Growing up in Delungra, NSW, the proud Gamilaraay woman recognised the importance of bringing live music to the often-overlooked corners of the country.
“I know when I grew up in a regional area, I really wanted more music to come to town,” Plum said.
“These shows have been really intimate.
“They’ve been a very shared experience, very community vibes, so we’ll be bringing that to Shepp.”
On stage, songs spanning over 10 years in the music industry are waiting to spring forth.
Plum’s 2019 debut album, Better in Blak, was a wake-up siren of cultural identity, resilience and healing, and she blasted it into the sonic landscape with extra strength.
She describes I’m Sorry, Now Say It Back as part two.
It flows through themes of heartache and empowerment, particularly in Koala, where the lyrics “Oh, I say sorry way too much” not only inspired the album’s title but prick the ears of woman-kind.
“I feel like it’s relatable ... I definitely say sorry way too much,” Plum said.
“As a bloody chronic people pleaser and also as a woman, I feel like we’re often taught to apologise for ourselves and make ourselves seem smaller.
“Making this record was me unpacking that for myself.
“This record definitely felt a little bit more grown up, but also, it felt more intimate ... like pages of my journal.”
Now, crowds are craning their necks to see Plum unspooling her inner thoughts and emotions.
Yet she makes this unfathomably intimate act look like the simplest thing in the world.
“It is definitely emotional, I mean, I’m always emotional,” she said.
“Often, especially when I perform live, there are a couple of songs, like Golden Touch and Homecoming Queen, where every time I sing them, if I lock eyes with someone in the crowd, I immediately start crying, which can be a little bit funny.
“(I remember performing Golden Touch in Adelaide), I was like, Thelma! Come on, pull it together! You need to stop sobbing in front of these people who have paid to come and watch you perform, not cry.”
Tears come easily for those like Plum, who someone has burned with the golden touch.
It is by no means a bad thing.
In fact, her sensitivity is her superpower.
In a world where many learn to conceal feelings and bury hard truths, this ‘burn’ on Plum’s heart has put a match to creating music that speaks directly and soulfully.
No amount of tears can extinguish that kind of fire.
Thelma Plum will perform at Riverlinks Eastbank, 70 Welsford St, Shepparton, on Saturday, July 5, as part of her regional tour, I’m Sorry, Where Is That?.
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