Snow Koppes: A Musical Inheritance, a Sound of Her Own

1 hour ago

13 min read

🔥 A WAXX LYRICAL HEATSEEKER 🔥

Growing up in the orbit of one of Australia's most influential alternative rock bands might suggest a musical destiny already mapped out, but Byron Bay singer-songwriter Snow Koppes has spent much of her career carving out a sound and identity entirely her own. The daughter of Peter Koppes, founding guitarist of The Church, Snow's musical education began early, absorbing everything from Madonna and Kylie Minogue to the grunge explosion of the 1990s. It was the latter, particularly the music of Hole, Nirvana and Sonic Youth, that helped shape her love of distorted guitars, uncompromising performances and songs with plenty of emotional bite.

Her journey has taken her from playing bass and singing in punk outfit Bright Red to sharing stages with The Church, Guttermouth, King Parrot and WAAX. Along the way, she's worked with some notable figures in Australian music, including Ratcat frontman Simon Day and producer Dave 'Dogg' Atkins, whose credits include Wolfmother and Resin Dogs. Her 2022 EP SUPASTAR, featuring ‘LA’, ‘Snitch’ and the title track, set up her particular blend of punk, grunge and hard rock, with a melodic sensibility that owes as much to classic pop songwriting as it does to the heavier records that shaped her teenage years. Since then she's dropped one more stand-alone single in 2024, ‘Wannabe’ that has seen her continue to grow her own sound on her own terms.

Fast forward to now and Koppes has returned confidentially with two singles released simultaneously on September 25. ‘Take Me Away’ and ‘Dream of You’ explore different shades of romantic longing, although their origins are separated by nearly 15 years. The former was co-written with Simon Day in his Surry Hills home studio, a collaboration born from shared musical instincts and an affection for a good love song. The latter is a much more recent composition, written in January 2025 and recorded with Atkins.

Songwriting remains an intensely personal pursuit for Koppes, informed by a rich lived experience rather than imagined characters. Her career has also given her a front-row view of the Australian music industry, from childhood memories of watching her father perform to navigating the challenges of building an independent career herself. With two new songs in circulation and further material taking shape, Waxx Lyrical caught up with Snow to discuss her remarkable musical upbringing, the records that changed her life, working with Simon Day, the realities of the industry and why she's still drawn to the unpredictable business of making music.

But first, hear the two new singles below:

HEATSEEKER: SNOW KOPPES

You've just released ‘Take Me Away’ and ‘Dream of You’ simultaneously. What made you want to put these two songs out together rather than give each one its own moment?

Mainly because back in the day, when people were releasing singles on vinyl, there was an A-side and a B-side. People would buy the single and, when they flipped the record, they'd have an extra track. The other reason is that I've been sitting on both songs since last year and really wanted to get them out into the world.

Both songs seem to deal with longing in different ways. One's about wanting to escape with someone, while the other's about someone you can't quite get out of your head. Were they written around the same period, or do they come from completely different chapters of your life?

Interestingly, ‘Take Me Away’ was co-written in Simon Day's (frontman of Ratcat) home studio in Surry Hills around 15 years ago. Since he and I wrote the lyrics together, the song is actually about a girl he was dating who was also one of my good friends. Her name was Emma. Both Simon and I are suckers for a love song. I wanted the song to sound like ‘Candy’ by Iggy Pop. 'Dream of You’ was written in January 2025. Originally, the song was written at my ex-partner's house. He was a very talented musician and was often at rehearsal. I found myself waiting for him to come home, and I'd pick up his acoustic guitar and just mess around with ideas. That's how ‘Dream of You’ was born. I even serenaded him with the song when he got home. He was impressed since I'd written it in only a couple of hours! The song was recorded and produced by Dave Atkins, and I became a top-five finalist in the Bay FM/SAE Baysounds songwriting competition.

How much of yourself do you put into your songwriting? Are you someone who needs to live through something before you can write about it, or can a great song come from a completely imagined situation?

All my songs come from my heart. None of them are fictional, and I've lived through all of them. Mostly, I write about love and loss, but I also have a naughty song called ‘Snitch’, which is on my SUPASTAR EP. That one was inspired by Peaches' ‘Fuck the Pain Away’ and N.W.A's ‘Fuck tha Police’. I was dating a drug dealer at the time, and I had no idea what I was getting myself into!

You worked with Simon Day from Ratcat on one of these tracks. How did that collaboration come about, and what did he bring to the song that you might not have arrived at on your own?

Mostly, it was through industry connections and my girlfriend Emma, who was dating Simon Day at the time. Our manager, Chris Gilbey, signed bands to EMI Publishing, such as The Church, INXS and AC/DC. Chris wanted my band to record a song that he considered a hit. I also spent two days with Doc Neeson from The Angels, coming up with lyrics and songwriting ideas. I didn't realise it at the time, but Chris Gilbey was attempting to mould me into an established songwriter. Surprisingly, as soon as I was in the studio with Simon Day, a song was born. His lyrical ideas were very poetic, and I felt Simon and I worked extremely well together. I was playing bass at the time, and he was playing guitar. I remember that we were both quite hungover from the night before! Saying that, ‘Take Me Away’ seemed to write itself, and it was a great vibe in the studio.

We're huge Ratcat fans here. They were such a brilliant collision of fuzzy guitars, pop melodies and punk attitude. Did working with Simon change the way you thought about writing a song, particularly when it comes to hooks and melody?

Simon Day and I vibed from the very beginning, and ‘Take Me Away’ happened really organically. He and I seemed to have a similar understanding of how to write a song, and it was a fantastic collaboration! It was a fun process the whole way through. I mostly learnt from Simon's ideas for lyrics, but I also had a big input. We just bounced ideas off each other, and it worked!

Your dad, Peter Koppes, was a founding member of The Church. I imagine yours wasn't exactly an ordinary musical upbringing! What are your earliest memories of being surrounded by music and musicians?

My earliest memory was actually of waiting for my father, Peter Koppes, at Sydney International Airport arrivals. I was always so excited to see Dad since he was often away on tour for important moments in my life, including my birth, which is actually mentioned in lead singer Steve Kilbey's biography. My other memories are of watching my father perform from the side of the stage because I was too young to be in the audience. Saying that, I had no idea that one day I would be in a punk rock band called Bright Red and end up supporting his band, The Church, many times. The best memory was walking the red carpet with my father and watching him being inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2010. I was so proud of my father that I cried at the ceremony. There is no doubt that I look up to him when it comes to music.

Was there a particular record, artist or live performance that made you think, "I want to do this myself"? Something that felt entirely yours rather than something you'd inherited from your family?

Yes, definitely. The first influence I had was Madonna, and I performed a lot of her songs from an early age. Then, as a teenager, I got into the grunge scene and was heavily influenced by bands such as Nirvana, Hole and Sonic Youth. Celebrity Skin was my favourite album, and I used to perform songs such as ‘Malibu’ and ‘Northern Star’. I own pretty much every single Hole album there is. Thanks to Dad, I used to get a lot of free CDs, and he also helped shape my musical tastes.

Having a father with such a significant musical legacy must be an interesting thing to navigate. Has it opened doors, created expectations, or perhaps a bit of both?

It has definitely shaped my career and given me a strong role model to look up to. I seem to connect with a lot of his fans, and surprisingly, they also love and support my music and solo career. A lot of them are from America. It makes sense since I've sung on at least three of my father's solo albums, and I've performed with The Church many times.

Who were the artists that really shaped your musical DNA growing up? And are there any influences that might surprise people who only know your heavier material?

Believe it or not, I actually taught myself to sing while listening to the radio. Even at two years old, my mother and father would say, "She's going to be a singer one day." Even before I could talk properly, I sang along to anything I liked. I started off listening to pop artists such as Kylie Minogue and Madonna. Then, as I got older, I progressed to heavier music such as grunge rock and punk. Saying that, I believe any music you listen to will shape your taste as a songwriter, which is why I now have such a vast taste in musical genres.

Your sound draws from punk, grunge and hard rock, but there's a strong melodic streak running through it too. Who taught you that a song could be loud, messy and full of attitude while still having an absolutely killer chorus?

I have to say Courtney Love from Hole was my biggest influence, and that's how I taught myself to play bass and sing like a menace! Joy Division were also a major influence because I studied Peter Hook's bass playing, and he had a very unique style. Songs like ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ and ‘Control’ were major influences, as was anything from his band New Order. I also looked up to female artists such as PJ Harvey and Amy Winehouse. Both artists are massive influences on my music.

If we raided your record collection, what are three albums we'd find that tell us the most about who Snow Koppes is as a musician?

Definitely Celebrity Skin by Hole, Nevermind by Nirvana and Sticky Fingers by The Rolling Stones, with ‘Wild Horses’ being my favourite song in the world.

You've shared stages with everyone from Guttermouth and King Parrot to WAAX and The Church. That's quite a spread! What have those experiences taught you about performing, and have you ever had a particularly memorable encounter backstage?

It basically taught me how to be a professional musician and not to let the fame part go to my head. When I performed with these bands, I was just so stoked to be performing on the same stage as these amazingly talented artists. It also taught me that modesty and gratitude go a long way, and arrogance gets you nowhere. My most memorable encounter was when I met Marie, the lead singer from WAAX. She was super friendly and introduced herself to me after my performance at Tym Guitars in Brisbane. I'm pretty sure that was the same day I played with Guttermouth at Crowbar in Brisbane. Sadly, both venues are now closed. It was an amazing time which I'll never forget.

Going right back to ‘LA’, which came together with Dave Atkins, you've described a pretty spontaneous approach to recording. Is that still how you like to work, capturing the moment before you can overthink it, or has your process changed over the years?

To be honest, I never overthink anything when it comes to music. It's all about the vibe and what feels good. If it doesn't feel good, then it probably isn't. There's a popular saying that some recording engineers use in the studio: "You can't polish a turd!" Meaning that if the song is shit, no matter how many effects, overdubs or mixes you do, it will never change the fact that the song actually sucks. That's why I always write my songs using an acoustic guitar and strip them back to the bare minimum. My father, Peter Koppes, taught me that. He is a massive fan of Oasis, and he said, "If your song sounds good on an acoustic guitar, then it's going to sound even more amazing once you go into the studio." And my father was right!

Your SUPASTAR EP arrived in 2022, and you've continued releasing music independently since. When you listen back to those earlier songs, what do you hear? Is there anything about that version of Snow you'd like to recapture?

Hahaha, you got me! I'm similar to the actor Johnny Depp in the sense that once he finishes a movie, he rarely watches himself. Once I've finished recording, mixing and mastering my music, I don't usually want to hear the songs again for a while. Mostly because I end up listening to them so much in the studio and on my car stereo, which is the biggest test for mixing reasons, that I need time away from my own music. I don't plan on ever going back to what I've already accomplished. I'm only focused on creating new music and ideas. The only time I revisit my music is for performances. And yes, sometimes my song comes on my Apple Music playlist, and for a moment I think, "Wow, I created that." And I just think, "That's pretty cool!"

You're based in Byron Bay, a place with a pretty rich musical history. How much has that environment shaped you? And what's the local music scene like for someone making loud, guitar-driven rock?

Truthfully, I don't really see Byron Bay as having a massive independent grunge rock scene. Saying that, Mario, who runs Howl and Moan Records, has always been extremely supportive of my music and of all independent artists. My first show as SNOW was a huge success. The Arts Factory open mic night in Byron Bay also helped shape me in so many ways, and The Northern has some great acts too. The only complaint I have about this area would be that we have too many restaurants and not enough venues. Hopefully, one day that will change.

You've also developed a connection with Rock Box Recordings in San Francisco. How did an independent Australian rock artist end up on the radar of a label on the other side of the Pacific?

Rock Box Recordings does all my distribution and is owned by my sister's husband, Shea Roberts, who now lives in Australia and is an accomplished musician and sound engineer. He's known for his role as the lead singer in San Francisco band The Richmond Sluts, and also for his role as stage manager for Neil Young and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. He's always been very supportive of my music and also does all the mastering for my tracks. He distributes all my music online using platforms such as DistroKid, and also helps with marketing and graphic design ideas for promotional material.

What's the best piece of musical advice your dad has ever given you? And, perhaps more interestingly, what's something you've learned that completely contradicts it?

When I first told my father I wanted to leave school and start a band at 17, he said, "Are you sure you want to do that?" At the time, I was really confused. I mean, his band The Church have released over 20 albums, were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame and toured for over 40 years. I realised later that he was just trying to protect me from the industry. The music industry is basically like riding a rollercoaster. You never get the highs without the lows, and when you think it's all going to come crashing down, something picks you back up again. So I wouldn't quite say that my father was wrong for warning me, but I now know why he was concerned. Writing, recording and performing music can feel like the best thing in the world, but the music industry can be a very unsettling and challenging place. In order to last in this industry, you need to develop a thick skin. And when things are falling apart, like when your band breaks up just as you're about to get signed, it's horrendous. So, in contradiction to what he asked me, "Are you sure you want to do that?", I have to say, "Hell yeah!" Because secretly, I love the thrill of the unknown, and I'm always willing to challenge it!

Is there a song you've written that you're especially proud of but feel hasn't quite received the love it deserves?

I feel like that about all my songs. I think most musicians tend to love their most recent album or release because it's new and fresh, and they feel they've evolved, which in some ways they have. But over the years of releasing my music, I've realised that sometimes our best work isn't our favourite work. The best songs are the ones that connect most with our fans, and without our fans, we don't have a career. One example of this is when The Church recorded ‘Under the Milky Way’. If you speak to the band, they'll admit that they didn't even want to record the song. It was their record label that forced them to record it. The band were literally laughing in the studio because, to them, it sounded ridiculous! But they recorded the song and released it in 1988. To this day, it's the most massive hit for The Church and, in some ways, made their career, since they became huge in Australia and America afterwards. Steve Kilbey still hates performing the song, but it remains the favourite for most of their fans.

What excites you most about making music right now? Is it the writing, recording, performing, collaborating, or something else entirely?

I love creating new ideas for songs and coming up with a demo version, then making it sound huge in the studio with my producer, Dave 'Dogg' Atkins, drummer from Resin Dogs and Wolfmother. The best part is when the song all comes together in the studio, and then I get to drive home and listen to the mix on my car stereo. I get such a kick out of creating new sounds and new music. I also love collaborating with others because you never know what direction the song will go in. I don't regret any of my collaborations because I feel like I learn from every musician and producer I've worked with. I'm listening to a lot of new music right now, which is actually inspiring me to go in a slightly new and exciting direction, meshing different musical genres together. But this is still very fresh and new, and I'm looking forward to getting back into the studio and seeing what direction the songs will go in.

Finally, with two new songs out in the world, what's next for SNOW? Are these singles the beginning of a bigger body of work, or are you enjoying the freedom of releasing music as it comes?

Ssssh… It's a secret! I do have some new ideas on the back burner waiting to come out, but for now, I want these two tracks to get some time to shine! There will definitely be some new SNOW stuff coming, and I promise you'll be the first to find out. In the meantime, enjoy my new tracks ‘Take Me Away’ and ‘Dream of You’, available now on all streaming platforms.