About Me

(For Raelene's Promotional Biography (pdf document) click here)

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"I was born in a suburb of Melbourne: so when I tour Queensland they call me a refugee! (You can make up your own mind about that.) My mother, unsucessfully, did every-thing she could to forget the moment I entered the world screaming for food: a habit I apparently never gave up. Consequently I was discouraged from studying ballet ("You'll look like a baby elephant!") Eventually, after several false starts, I found my way to music. I especially loved musical comedy as a child and so I used to unexpectedly burst into song for almost any situation. I remember a particularly poignant moment, singing passionately to my hair brush about the joys of waiting next to the car for my mother to take me somewhere. I was seven. I slowly moved from my esteemed career as a child prodigy composer into recorder playing, flute playing and later singing lessons. It was only much later, at University that I first picked up the guitar. Much later again, at the age of 31,  I re-discovered my passion for songwriting. I was initiated into the Kristina Olsen experience at the Woodford Folk Festival and thought "Wow: you can do THAT with music." I was a goner! The in between bits: I sang backing vocals for Marcia Hines in the televised Royal Command Performance for a newly wed Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and for Barry Manilow in concert the same year. I was an exchange student to the USA where I played in an "All State Honours Band". After doing HSC (with two music subjects) at University High School, I busked my way around Europe playing show tunes on my flute. Eventually I graduated from the Faculty of Music at the University of Melbourne. I had specialised in music therapy. I have now worked as a Registered Music Therapist for thirteen years. But once I discovered the joys of writing and performing my own songs I knew that there was only one thing I could do: write and perform my own songs. This has taken me to the performers area at Woodford Folk Festival (where it all started). I've also had the honour to grace the stage at a number of other festivals including the National, Port Fairy, Mt Beauty Music Muster, St Albans (NSW).....to name a few. I have toured the East Coast (Twice), Tasmania, and country Victoria as well as playing around Melbourne. I hope to see you around the traps somewhere! Raelene