On the tail end of Briston Maroney’s ‘Ultrapure’ tour, the legendary First Avenue eye-witnessed a magnetic performance from Melbourne-based musician Phoebe Go. Known for her former roles with indie-pop act Snakadaktal and Two People, Phoebe is on the cusp of her first solo album release. Phoebe channeled her distinctive alt-pop sound and vulnerability with an acoustic guitar, earning attention and future curiosity streams from the full audience. What stood out to everyone was the comfort and ease that she held while playing through emotionally vulnerable and authentic stories about her experiences.
Although Phoebe is a collaborator with fashion powerhouses like Chanel, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vogue, her mojo derives more from the intuition of having personal control and comfort in what she wears that allows the music to permeate through a crowd. Instead of strategically wearing an outfit that stands out, it’s more about wearing clothes that support her feelings and storytelling on stage.
“If I think back to my first favorite items of clothing, I had a pair of red corduroy pants, which I really liked. They were bright red and I had a white T-shirt with penguins on it. Which, now that I'm saying that out loud, I realize he isn't too far away from what I wear as a 29-year-old.”
-Phoebe Go
From the very beginning of understanding style and clothes, Phoebe has always liked feeling comfortable in whatever she wears. She prioritizes that along with it being practical and being able to jump on a bike at any time. This often leads to her looking underdressed, especially when it’s for an event or something high profile.
Growing up with an older brother and sister, she wore hand-me-downs without having much say about what she could wear. But eventually, there was a moment when wearing her sister's frilly clothes that they would all be itchy around her neck and wrists. She hated that feeling and would complain to her parents about it. In time they listened and stopped the frills, which Phoebe confesses was very kind of them.
Based in Melbourne, Phoebe notes that local fashion seems to fall more in line with outdoor and hiking trends. It feels like it’s even a more successful look if you never actually do anything outdoorsy in them, keeping the clothes looking as brand new for as long as possible. She’s also witnessed different waves of sneakers with a New Balance era, Adidas, Nike, and even a Crocs era. For someone who almost exclusively wears jeans and a tee-shirt, Phoebe faced immediate adversity when getting into music.
“I remember being 15 when Snakadaktal started and feeling pressure. Being the only girl in that band meant that there was this pressure to stick out as the girl, which sort of went against my natural tendencies with fashion and clothing choices. There was a period where I was wearing skirts, singlets, and less comfortable attire to shows and interviews. I would show up at a shoot and remember the styling would be super girly. No one ever asked what I wanted to wear. I remember hating that, to be honest.”
-Phoebe Go
With her debut solo album on the way, the script is flipped. Phoebe doesn’t need to fit the picture or anyone else’s expectations. She’s the boss in terms of what to wear and what feels good. Clothing is an expression too, which she really likes pushing the boundaries on. As she’s explored different clothing for this solo project, she’s found it has to be in her control. Otherwise, you can easily have a bad day looking back at the photos and feeling weird about it.
Walking on stage at First Avenue, Phoebe didn’t waste time addressing the layers she was wearing. The dark grey long-sleeved thermal is from a cycling brand called Maap. She’s an ambassador for the brand because cycling’s a big hobby of hers and they wanted to support her in that. She ended up wearing thermals for most of the tour, but this one specifically she’s worn a million times on her bike but hadn’t played shows in it. It felt comforting to have it on, not just because of the physical feeling, but also because it was a piece from home and her other passion.
Layered on top was a white thrift store tee-shirt with a large truck on the front and the words “Thunder in the Canyon” splayed across it. Phoebe thought it was hilarious and found joy in having no idea what it meant, but the aesthetic had a weird colorful crazy design and she had to get it. The darker jeans are secondhand Levi’s that she’s had for a long time. Phoebe loves the feeling of wearing something that’s had previous lives and having no idea where they came from.
Her bright green socks came from Uniqlo. Colorful socks bring her happiness and is always going back to top off her sock collection. The Adidas sneakers she’s had for 5 years and has worn almost every day since she got them. They’ve been through the wash a few times and continue to be that comfort piece that she can rely on.
Front-row fans were able to see the two bracelets on her wrist. One of them had her name on it and was made by someone back home who she was missing terribly. But the other one listed numbers on it. It was thrown on stage after one of her early shows on the tour. Phoebe looked down at the woman who threw it as she gestured the phone hand to her ear, the universal language of ‘call me.’
“I just added it to the wrist. I didn’t call her, but it was a nice gift. I liked the bracelet.”
When it comes to fashion influences, Phoebe doesn’t identify with a specific artist to help guide her intention. Instead, the importance comes from having ownership of those choices. Artists often underestimate the significance it is to feel yourself when being onstage. If Phoebe is trying to be someone else while singing these very personal songs, there’s a mismatch that doesn’t stack up in terms of the emotion of the performance.
Her collaborations with powerhouses like Vogue, Chanel, and Harper’s Bazaar haven’t affected her style, but they have increased her appreciation of high fashion. The way something is made, along with the story and reason behind those choices are not typically seen. But Phoebe sees the artistry in it all because someone wanted to express themselves in it. It’s opened her mind about how things operate at that level too, and just how impressive all the roles are in that world.
Phoebe’s music has that same level of storytelling sewn into their creation. The first obvious example of this was hearing “Something You Were Trying” melt through First Avenue space. In what sounds like a Haim hidden track, Phoebe Go expertly progresses a story of heartbreak with a dish of humility toward closure. The lightness of the song contrasts with the confessional pain of breakup and vulnerability. Most impressive are the lyrical strings that tie verse one and verse two together. The loop of the jeans and the dream analogy of being pinched to figure out if you’re awake before the fall are clever elements that support a chorus that you can’t help but sing along to.
You can fully understand the clothes by hearing her songs in person. “Hey” is a juxtaposition of heaviness as it deals with grief, suicide, and continuing to grow up with that weight, while the softness and comforting vocals embrace the listener. Her presence is one of comfort with the thermals, jeans, and sneakers. It’s the other shoe to the story that allows the listener to feel safe in their emotions.
“We Don’t Talk” is a stunning song of self-conflict and the difficulty of facing yourself. The video puts us directly in front of Phoebe’s face, watching her bike across landscapes dealing with the hard questions within the lyrics. .
“When I think about what’s important to me when I step out on stage is that I’m not rushing and I’m taking my time and taking the experience in. It calms me down just to tell myself, enjoy it, this is what you like doing. That’s so helpful for my anxiety before a show.
-Phoebe Go
For those that saw Phoebe at First Avenue, that feeling was definitely mirrored. You felt that moment was special and not rushed. There was a calmness to easing into the music. Although it was the first time hearing Phoebe in person, it felt familiar. Her presence exudes that calming mojo, an aura of vulnerability that opens the door to hearing her songs and being able to immediately relate to something. It’s a mojo that speaks louder without the fancy dresses or frills.
Check out the links below for ways to follow Phoebe Go and all the topics we mentioned above.
Phoebe Go Instagram - YouTube - Spotify - Someone You Were Trying - Maap - Uniqlo - Snakadaktal
