Safia (band)

Safia is an Australian electronica, indie pop band formed in Canberra. They have released two studio albums.

Safia
OriginCanberra, ACT, Australia
GenresElectronic, indie pop
Years active2009 (2009)–present
Labels
  • SAFIA (2012–present)
  • Parlophone (2015–present)
MembersBen Woolner
Michael Bell
Harry Sayers

Career

Safia won the Groovin' the Moo competition in 2012.[1] The band says the name comes from a song they wrote called "Sapphire", but it does not mean anything. The band have since found out that safia means serenity in Arabic.[2]

When it comes to the band's influences, they claim to have a very broad range of styles and genres but list artists like Purity Ring, Major Lazer, Feed Me, Chet Faker, Disclosure and James Blake.[2]

In 2014, they were featured on Peking Duk's ARIA top 10 single, "Take Me Over".[3]

Also in 2014, lead singer Ben Woolner appeared as feature artist on the Indian Summer single "Aged Care" under the pseudonym 'Benjamin Joseph'.[4] The band opened for Twenty One Pilots during their 2017 Emotional Roadshow Tour Pacific Leg which started in Wellington, New Zealand.

On 30 June 2016, the band announced the title of its debut album, Internal, which was released on 9 September 2016 and peaked at number 2 on the ARIA Charts. On 13 October 2017, Safia released "Cellophane Rainbow".

In 2018, they released "Freakin' Out", which was the first track they wrote after their album Internal.[5]

The band released their second album, Story's Start or End in September 2019. The album peaked at number 13 on the ARIA charts.

In October 2022, the band released "Falling Down", the first release since their second album Story's Start or End in 2019.[1]

In August 2023, the band announced the forthcoming release of A Lover's Guide to a Lucid Dream and released its fourth single, "Float".[6]

Band members
  • Ben Woolner (also uses the pseudonym "Benjamin Joseph")[7] – vocals/producer[8]
  • Michael Bell – drums/producer[8]
  • Harry Sayers – guitars/synths/producer[8]

Discography

Studio albums
List of studio albums, with selected chart positions shown
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
AUS
[9]
Internal 2
Story's Start or End
  • Released: 9 August 2019
  • Label: Warner Music Australia
  • Formats: CD, digital download, vinyl
 13
A Lover's Guide to a Lucid Dream
  • Released: 22 September 2023[6]
  • Label: Warner Music Australia
  • Formats: CD, digital download, vinyl
 —

As lead artist
List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
AUS
[9]		 AUS
Indie
[11]
"Listen to Soul, Listen to Blues" 2013 998 non-album singles
"Paranoia, Ghosts & Other Sounds" 2014 ——
"You Are the One" —9
"Counting Sheep" 2015 555
"Embracing Me" 69— Internal
"Make Them Wheels Roll" 2016 45
"Over You" 63
"My Love Is Gone" —
"Cellophane Rainbow"[15] 2017 — Story's Start or End
"Freakin' Out"[16] 2018 — non-album single
"Starlight"[17] — Story's Start or End
"Resolution"[18] 2019 —
"Think We're Not Alone"[19] —
"Runaway"[20] —
"Falling Down"[1] 2022 — A Lover's Guide to a Lucid Dream
"Today"[21] 2023 —
"That's the Thing About Love"[22] —
"Float"[6] —
"A Lover's Guide to a Lucid Dream"[23] —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
  • In 2015, Safia signed with Parlophone. From "Embracing Me", their songs are ineligible for the Australian Indie chart.
List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
AUS
[9]		 NZ
[24]
"Take Me Over"
(Peking Duk featuring SAFIA)		 2014 632
  • ARIA: 3× Platinum[25]
 Songs to Sweat To

Other appearances
List of other non-single song appearances
Title Year Album
"Take it to Reality"
(Alison Wonderland featuring SAFIA)		 2015 Run
"Left Hand Free" Like a Version: Volume Eleven

Music videos
List of music videos by SAFIA
Title Year Director
"Listen to Soul, Listen to Blues"[26] 2013 Jimmy Ennett
"Paranoia, Ghosts & Other Sounds"[27] 2014 Jimmy Ennett and Jaeger Vallejera
"You Are the One"[28] Jimmy Ennett
"Take Me Over"
(Peking Duk featuring SAFIA)[29]		 Jeff Johnson and Max Miller
"Counting Sheep"[30] 2015 Jimmy Ennett
"Embracing Me"[31]
"Take it to Reality"
(Alison Wonderland featuring SAFIA)[32]
"Make Them Wheels Roll"[33] 2016 Jimmy Ennett
"Zion"[34] SAFIA
"Over You"[35] Markus Hofko
"My Love Is Gone"[36] Anthony Bristol
"Cellophane Rainbow"[37] 2017 Jaeger Vallejera
"Freakin' Out"[38] 2018 Jimmy Annett
"Starlight" (Multiverse Video) [39]
"Resolution"[40] 2019 George Thomson & Lukas Schrank

Awards and nominations

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
AIR Awards of 2014"Paranoia, Ghosts & Other Sounds"Best Independent Dance, Electronica or Club SingleNominated

ARIA Music Awards

Since 1987 the ARIA Music Awards have run annual awards.

Year Category Nominated artist/work Result
2015 Best Dance Release "Take Me Over" (Peking Duk featuring Safia) Nominated

APRA Awards

Since 1982 the APRA Awards are run by Australian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually.

Year Category Nominated artist/work Result
2016 Most played Australian Work "Take Me Over" (Peking Duk featuring Safia) Won
Dance work of the Year

J Award

The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. They commenced in 2005.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
J Awards of 2013[41] themselves Unearthed Artist of the Year Nominated
J Awards of 2016[42] Internal Australian Album of the Year Nominated

National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
National Live Music Awards of 2016[43] Themselves Live Electronic Act (or DJ) of the Year Nominated

References
  1. "SAFIA return with 'Falling Down', their first new music in three years". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 28 October 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  2. "Artist Profile - Safia". www.bmamag.com. 9 April 2013. Archived from the original on 23 July 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  3. "Sea N Beats line up - Safia". Archived from the original on 23 July 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  4. "[GDD PREMIERE] Indian Summer - Aged Care ft. Benjamin Joseph". Gotta Dance Dirty. 4 July 2014. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2019. ...a jackin bassline and house groove that wont quit
  5. "Exclusive Interview with 3 Piece Indie Pop Band Safia". viralbpm.com. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  6. "SAFIA 2023 Australia Tour". scenestr. 4 August 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  7. Newstead, Al (27 May 2020). "Alice Ivy enlists a dancing Alex Dyson, Ben from SAFIA for 'Better Man'". ABC. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  8. Mathieson, Craig (13 August 2015). "Safia beginning to realise their musical dreams". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  9. Peak chart positions in Australia:
  10. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  11. Peak chart positions for independent singles in Australia:
  12. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  13. "Safia on Twitter Embracing Me is GOLD 📀📀📀". Twitter. 26 June 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  14. "Safia on Twitter Make Them Wheels Roll went Gold!! We owe you guys, thank you lots ❤️". Twitter. 2 April 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  15. "Cellphane Rainbow - single". iTunes Australia. 13 October 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  16. "Freakin' Out - single". iTunes Australia. 16 February 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  17. "Starlight - single". iTunes Australia. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  18. "Resolution - single". iTunes Australia. 8 May 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  19. "SAFIA SOPHOMORE ALBUM LOCKED". auspOp. 22 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  20. "Safia Drop New Single "Runaway"". Around the Sound. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  21. "New single 'Today' out now wherever you stream x". Facebook. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  22. "Time for the next phase of the cycle 🌘New single is getting its first play tonight!". Twitter. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  23. "A Lover's Guide To A Lucid Dream by Safia". popnable. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  24. "Discography Peking Duk". charts.nz (Hung Medien). Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  25. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2021 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  26. "SAFIA - Listen to Soul, Listen to Blues (Official Video)". YouTube.com. 6 July 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  27. "SAFIA - Paranoia, Ghosts & Other Sounds (Official Video)". YouTube.com. 24 September 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  28. "SAFIA - You Are The One (Official Video)". YouTube.com. 24 September 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  29. "Peking Duk - Take Me Over Ft. SAFIA [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]". YouTube.com. 19 November 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  30. "SAFIA - Counting Sheep (Official Video)". YouTube.com. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  31. "SAFIA - Embracing Me (Official Video)". YouTube.com. 20 July 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  32. "Alison Wonderland - Take It To Reality ft. SAFIA". YouTube.com. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  33. "SAFIA - Make Them Wheels Roll (Official Video)". YouTube.com. 19 April 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  34. "SAFIA - Zion (Official Video)". YouTube.com. 20 June 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  35. "SAFIA - Over You (Official Video)". YouTube.com. 17 August 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  36. "SAFIA - My Love Is Gone (Official Video)". YouTube.com. 16 November 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  37. "SAFIA - Cellophane Rainbow (Official Video)". YouTube.com. 12 October 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  38. "SAFIA - Freakin' Out (Official Music Video)". YouTube. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
  39. "SAFIA - Starlight (Multiverse Video)". YouTube. 10 December 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  40. "SAFIA - Resolution (Official Video)". YouTube. 9 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  41. "The J Award 2013". Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  42. "The J Award 2016". Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  43. "Nominees 2016". NLMA. 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
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