Birdee Sideris from Parkes has had a big 12 months and is a performer at Forbes' Frost and Fire

During that time she's released 13 songs and two EPs with one song making it into Triple J's spot rotation, gone on an international tour which gave birth to her second EP and worked alongside some big-name producers, and is beginning to be a sought-after artist by event organisers.

The now 22-year-old moved to Sydney to pursue her career in music after graduating from Red Bend Catholic College in 2018, she began studies at the Australian Institute of Music which she's temporarily put on hold and started releasing her music in 2021.

Just a year later she had the organisers of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world's largest performance arts festival, reaching out and inviting her to join their line-up for 2022.

She's also been asked to perform at this year's Frost and Fire event in Forbes on June 17.

Birdee had sang in Malaysia before and busked in South Korea but Edinburgh was the first time she performed professionally overseas and with her own music. And it was her first festival.

It was quite the boost she said she was needing.

"At the time I was stuck in a phase of my life and felt like I wasn't making progress," Birdee said.

"This was a breakthrough for me.

"I spoke to my agent and said why not make the most of it."

Birdee travelled across the UK and Europe - including visiting London, Paris and Sweden - and then onto LA performing her debut international shows. She did three back-to-back performances as part of the Fringe Festival's 'House Of OZ' and was awarded a Mervyn Stutter 'Pick Of The Fringe' Gold Star.

She was also writing and recording new music, conceiving her second EP On My Own, which was released just two weeks ago.

"[Edinburgh Fringe Festival-goers] were really supportive and very welcoming, it was quite different to the shows I've done in Sydney," Birdee said.

"I met so many different types of people and I've made friends who I keep in touch with now."

It was such an exciting time for Birdee, and by pushing herself out of her comfort zone - both literally and creatively - she collaborated with the likes of two-time Grammy-nominated producer Okan in the UK who's worked with Chris Brown, Sean Paul, Tinie Tempah and Becky G, and producer, mixer and writer Dean Reid from LA.

"It was amazing working with these international producers," she said.

"I had the opportunity to see the way they work in the studio and how they get their ideas, in turn I was able to bounce ideas off them.

"They really do push me and support me.

"[And] I've had a lot of love and support for my EP - it's been added to playlists and streaming platforms and it's being streamed all over Asia."

Such support has given Birdee the confidence that she's on the right track with her music.

"Definitely, I want to make music that connects, resonates and speaks with people," she said.

"People are connecting with what I'm making, it just makes my day."

As part of her new EP, Birdee has shared a new single called Dreams, a catchy pop cut that was co-written and produced by Okan at a time when Birdee was reflecting on how far she's come.

Even though she had written the song four years ago, she said it still relates to her today.

"I didn't know what my sound was (four years ago) that's why it has an electronic sound and I just kept it in the catalogue," Birdee said.

"It still resonates where I am in my life right now. I've had to learn to be comfortable and confident standing on my own.

"It's very powerful.

"I was seeing new places, meeting new people, trying new things and just doing what I truly love, creating.

"I wanted to capture it so that every time I listen to it, I can relive it and remember that dreams can really become reality. It sounds corny but it's true."

Birdee's looking forward to coming home for Frost and Fire and hopes to be bringing shows to the area in the near future.

"I will always have time for [my hometown] because it's where it started for me and where I'm from," she said.

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