Neu Oscar: “I’m like a magpie, gathering all my bits - it’ll happen in good time”

Time’s been on Oscar’s side, hence why he’s not too keen on the speed of life. “I’ve been lucky enough not to have a job, because I’m still living at home. My mum is very supportive. She’s an artist herself, so she understands what it takes, and how long it takes,” he confides, and despite not racing to the top in record time, he has everything on his side to take on 2016. “I’ve realised these things do take time, and in a way, slow and steady does win the race. It may not seem like it, in this very fast world. Sometimes it works for people and everything clicks into place all at once. Sometimes it’s off-kilter for a while and suddenly things match up. That can be out of your control. You just have to stay strong and make sure you’re doing it for the right reason.”

With a debut readied for early next year, Scheller’s decided to build up a buffer. First off, he’s writing for other musicians, something he’s dreamt of doing since the early days. “I don’t think that side of my work’s going to take off until people have heard my record and know what I’m about, though,” he admits. “ It’s just all about exposure, really. It’s taken Kevin Parker three albums to get to where he is now, collaborating with other people and going into the pop sphere.” There’s also a second album, one that he’s been working towards since the start of 2015 (he speaks about “Album Two” more than “Album One”, to be honest). “I’m fleshing everything out on a MIDI keyboard, so everything sounds like a Christmas song at this stage,” he says. “Again it goes back to the world that we live in, and how artists can work within this relentless space. You have to keep up. You’re forced to have an output all the time.

“I’m like a magpie, gathering all my bits - it’ll happen in good time.”

Tags: Oscar Scheller, Class of 2016, Class of…, Features, Interviews, Neu