Jodi Phillis

Jodi Phillis
Jodi Phillis in 2006
Background information
Birth name	Jodi Christine Phillis
Born	(1965-04-11) 11 April 1965 Melbourne, Australia
Genres	Pop, Indie rock, Adult contemporary
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1989–present (bands) 1996–present (solo)
Website	www.jodiphillis.com

Jodi Christine Phillis (born 11 April 1965 in Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian singer-songwriter-guitarist and founding member of the band The Clouds. Phillis is best known for her vocal ability in many of her songs, such as "Hieronymus", "Souleater" and "Ghost of Love Returned".

Early life

Born in Melbourne, Phillis spent her childhood in California, and moved back to Sydney, Australia to begin school. She quit school at 15, then spent eight years working as a graphic artist with surfwear company Mambo Graphics until she formed the band The Clouds, where she met fellow frontwoman and bassist Trish Young.

Career

1989–1997: The Clouds

Main article: The Clouds (Australian band)

The Clouds formed in December 1989 and released four studio albums between 1990 and 1996, all of which peaked within the ARIA top 50.

1996–present: Solo

While still in The Clouds, Phillis explored a more mellow, acoustic direction with her debut solo album Lounge o' Sound, released in 1996.

In 2001, she released In Dreams I Live. The track "Waiting, Wanting, Holding" was featured in the ABC's series Love Is a Four-Letter Word. The album was nominated for two awards at the ARIA Music Awards of 2002. Her third solo album, For Lovers, Artists and Dreamers, was released in 2004.

In 2013, Phillis attended the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS), to study composition and graduated with a Certificate in Screen Music. Jodi's screen credits include the feature film Convict, and numerous TV commercials and television shows.

In 2017, Phillis spearheaded the composer's project, Seven Stories, in collaboration with Ensemble Offspring and six other prominent female composers, Amanda Brown, Caitlin Yeo, Sally Whitwell, Bree van Reyk, Kyls Burtland and Jane Sheldon with text by Hilary Bell. Seven Stories premiered during Sydney's Vivid Festival.

In 2018, Phillis released her Becoming album. Produced by Tim Oxley and penned by Jodi, it was an album that covered topics such as grief, loss, love and menopause. The album was rated at number 5 in Your Music Radar's "Top 20 Best Australian Albums of 2018", with Brian Parker opining, "An album that serves as a chronicle of one person’s experience of change, yet ultimately becomes therapeutic for her listener – giving hope that life and love is worth it, and with change comes positivity. A beautiful album that marks Phillis as one of Australia’s vital singer-songwriters."

2005–2007: The Girls from the Clouds

Main article: The Girls from the Clouds

In 2005, Phillis reunite with former Clouds band-mate Trish Young, under the moniker The Girls from the Clouds. Their EP Lalalala was released in early 2006. After 18 months, however, Phillis and Young once again went their separate ways.

Discography

Albums

List of albums, with selected details

Title	Details
Lounge O Sound	Released: 1996 Label: Red Eye Records (RED CD 55) Format: CD
In Dreams I Live	Released: 2001 Label: Candle Records (CAN2514) Format: CD
For Lovers, Artists and Dreamers	Released: 2003 Label: Candle Records (CAN2531) Format: CD
Sonum Vitae	Released: 2013 Label: Jodi Phillis Format: digital
Becoming	Released: 2018 Label: Jodi Phillis (Cat 0005) Format: CD, LP, digital
We Need to Be Free	Released: 2022 Label: Cheersquad Records & Tapes (CRT073) Format: CD, LP, digital

Awards and nominations

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.

Year	Nominee / work	Award	Result
2001	In Dreams I Live	ARIA Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album	Nominated
		ARIA Award for Best Female Artist	Nominated