ARIA award-winning singer Amy Shark is about to embark on a 60-date national tour, after COVID forced many artists to take a two-year hiatus.
The tour, which starts in Western Australia this week, will take her to every state and territory, including to rural towns she has never been to and "can't pronounce".
The Gold Coast artist said it was a welcome relief to be touring again after musicians were forced to quit gigging altogether during the pandemic, with forced closures and cancellations across the entire music and arts scene.
She has called on the government "to learn from what's happened" and put safeguards in place to protect artists and prevent similar happenings again.
"I feel like it's coming to an end, but it's so uncertain," she said.
"We don't know, but I would hope that the powers that be would have learnt from what we've been through and try and get somewhat prepared.
"In case this does happen again, what are the procedures?
While Shark was fortunate enough to play at a handful of COVID-safe events last year, she said many artists were forced to give up on their music careers entirely because of the financial stress of not performing throughout the pandemic.
"So, so many artists I know have just quit, they just can't financially do it anymore.
"And it's so sad, touring is the main source of income for many bands and artists and it was just taken away."
Shark said playing live music and being able to travel interstate and internationally for events is the entire premise of her line of work, and she was thrilled to see borders open again.
She said after being forced into a live music and arts drought, she hoped the community might take the industry more seriously and understand it's "real work".
"Music just gets treated like its a pastime, even my family don't see it as work," she said.
"I just feel like music it should be taken seriously a little more."
Shark has lived in Sydney for the past two years but said she had plans to move back home to the Gold Coast in Queensland, in between her busy schedule and upcoming mega-tour.
"I've obviously had to spend a lot of time abroad and in Sydney for the next wave of music and over COVID I just really missed home," she said.
"But yeah I'm really excited because I love going and finding these little gems here and there and I'm going to find some wacky, wonderful places, I'm not going to look at [my schedule] too intently because I just want to get on the bus and go, just arrive in a town.
"There are a few places here and there that we want to find some cool stuff to do, but I'm just going to get in the zone and make sure I'm putting on a good show each night, a balance of staying healthy and enjoying it as well."
