‘Good hurt’ is something Manning gets. It’s a process the Sydney-based singer songwriter pens lyrics to and learns from. In his newly released track, ‘Locked Out’, he ruminates on what Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell built a name on: the bittersweet sensation of knowing what you want then losing the keys to unlock it.
“Dylan and Mitchell taught me that good music is about interpreting relationships and connections,” the inner west singer says. “When to be open and when to bite your tongue.”
Inspired by an early affair with songwriters including Missy Higgins, Pete Murray and Gotye, Manning’s young years were spent learning to play against the quiet backdrop of his hometown in The Blue Mountains. He swayed towards piano, sax and guitar before finding his voice.
“Before I knew how to express myself, I had artists like James Taylor and Paul Simon doing it for me,” he says. “I gravitate towards music that speaks directly to you – that cuts through and gets straight to a feeling. I come from a musical family and that’s how we connected; my brother picked up the drums and we’d play in the lounge-room together.”
Whilst Manning’s a sucker for a well-crafted pop song, his new release is vulnerable and twofold. While written about an out-of-reach relationship, it’s also about the 22-year old’s experience with the industry. His time stuck doing cover songs and soulless pub performances.
Fast forward to 2022 and Manning is content to sit with a set of feelings he knows he can’t always control. He holds steady to the privilege of connecting with audiences exploring their own invincibility and those who have fought with personal self doubt.
He says: “’Locked Out’ is about holding onto a dream while letting go of a fantasy that is out of reach, but one that still pins you to the floor. With everything going on in the world right now, I think a lot of people feel isolated in their defeat and I hope my music connects and lets them know it’s okay; you don’t have to pretend. I’d much rather someone says I’m feeling trapped or isolated – it’s more familiar to us all right now. I think we all want security but life never pans out how we think it will. We’ve just got to hold out for what makes us comfortable in our own company.”