Arts
PENINSULA
By Andrea Louise Thomas Photos Yanni
M
ount Martha is embedded in the DNA of musician, Sam O’Connell. He’s lived there all his life. He loves the local beach and the small-town feel of the place. Living on the Mornington Peninsula has shaped his identity and his sound. A singer/ songwriter, he draws on memories of his Peninsula upbringing to create truly original songs that resonate locally yet universally. Part of what distinguishes O’Connell is his willingness to be vulnerable, to expose raw feeling and genuine emotion. This is hard for many young men to express, but he is unafraid. “I am eager to open up. I tell tales of love, heartbreak, adventure and wanderlust. I’m just being me,” he says.
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E ssence
42 | PENINSULA
October 2018