In conversation with Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips, singer, songwriter, guitarist AARON POLLOCK offers a candid look at the restless, self-driven approach behind his new album And Then a Sadness Came Over Me, revealing an artist constantly in motion, geographically,
creatively and emotionally.
MORE ABOUT THE INTERVIEW
Speaking from Bogotá, Colombia, where he now spends much of his time with his wife, Pollock describes a nomadic lifestyle built around careful planning and relentless touring. As an independent artist, survival hinges on “booking ahead” and stringing together rapid-fire tours, particularly in Australia, to fund future projects. While his international footprint continues to grow, especially in the U.S., he admits South America remains largely untapped territory for live performance, largely due to the language barrier.
Pollock’s musical foundations trace back to a childhood steeped in 60s and 70s records-artists like Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles and Creedence Clearwater Revival, as well as family singalongs to The Beach Boys. Yet he also points to more unconventional influences, particularly Captain Beefheart, whose challenging 1969 album Trout Mask Replica reshaped Pollock’s understanding of music over time. That balance between tradition and experimentation feeds directly into his songwriting.
Despite being in his early 20s, Pollock is remarkably prolific, with And Then a Sadness Came Over Me marking his 11th album. He describes an almost compulsive need to create, with hundreds of unreleased songs sitting alongside more than 160 originals already out in the world. The new record represents a deliberate shift: stripped-back, raw, and intentionally “underproduced,” with vocals pushed front and centre. This aesthetic choice is partly a reaction against overly polished, AI-influenced production trends, favouring immediacy and emotional honesty instead.
The title track, inspired by writers like Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and Townes Van Zandt, captures a bittersweet awareness of fleeting beauty, how even the most meaningful moments inevitably come to an end. Pollock sees it as a breakthrough in his development as a songwriter, and its selection as a finalist in the International Songwriting Competition carries particular weight, especially given Waits’ involvement as a judge.
Elsewhere on the album, tracks like “What Good Is Goodbye” highlight his long-term songwriting process, ideas sometimes taking years to fully realise. He also emphasises the importance of sequencing, viewing track order as critical in an era of streaming where listener attention is fleeting.
Beyond recording, Pollock remains deeply connected to the blues community. A former busker on Melbourne’s Bourke Street Mall, his career gained momentum after entering and eventually reaching the finals of the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Now serving as a youth ambassador for Blues Music Victoria, he’s focused on encouraging younger artists to engage with the genre and pushing for more youth representation at festivals.
Looking ahead, Pollock plans to continue balancing international travel with an eventual return to Australia for an extensive east coast tour. At the same time, there’s a growing desire for stability, something that comes with marriage and years spent constantly on the move. Yet the core ambition remains unchanged: keep writing, keep touring, and keep building momentum wherever the music takes him.
And A Sadness Came Over me is out now.