Ballarat Beat Rockabilly Festival is an annual festival held in the historic gold rush town of Ballarat, in Victoria, Australia during the heat of summer. Its one of my personal favourites because a large part of the Victorian Pinup community head there each year and we have an absolute ball!
Tracey Spencer, owner of Lana-Rose Fashion, is the brains and heart behind the competition and it is a huge success every year, with record numbers of entrants and a list of different categories not seen in any other competition. No style gets left out.
You saw our interview with the glorious Jessie Leigh last year who was entered in the Geekabilly category and won with her incredibly colourful Rainbow Brite routine. This year the winner was Miss Daisy Peach, also entered in the Geekabilly category, and she wowed the audience and judges alike with her Harry Potter inspired routine. Anything Harry Potter-related makes me happy and this routine certainly did not disappoint! Complete with wand and wizard hat, Miss Daisy Peach used her time turner to take us back in time to Hogwarts in the 1950s.
Congratulations Miss Daisy Rose Peaches!
The full troupe of Ballarat Pinup comp category winners and organisers - and of course the overall winner Miss Daisy Rose Peaches. Back row left-right: Psychobilly category winner - Cherie Blossom, Rockabilly winner - Cherry La Blaze, MC - Catalina McCaw, Ballarat Beat Pinup Competition organiser Tracey Spencer, Competition co-organiser Miss Lippy Lush, Geekabilly category winner - Miss Juniper Peach, Glamourbilly winner - Miss Bambi L'Amour. Centre Row: Atomic Couples winner - The Twinups, Pearl Del Ray and Miss Becca BamBam.
Front Row Ballarat Beat overall winner Miss Daisy Rose Peaches.
How did you choose your pinup name?
I love video games and wanted a name that sounded cute and sweet, so I chose my name after the Mario princesses Daisy and Peach
Do you have a defining Pinup moment - when you felt like it was the right path for you?
I first saw pinup going to vintage car shows with my dad and decided I wanted to give it a go. The first competition I did, Ballarat Beats 2016, was what really got me hooked. I loved how enthusiastic and supportive all the entrants were - it's a very special community to get to be a part of.
Any advice for Pinups entering or thinking about entering their first comp?
Definitely do it!
Other than that my tips are try to make a routine and curate an outfit that you're excited about and love. At the end of the day, most of us do this for our own enjoyment and happiness - if you do something that's special to you, it'll show on stage.
Why Geekabilly?
I love the aesthetic of pin-up and I love the fun and fantasy of cosplay - geekabilly is like their sweet, sweet love child. I think a lot of people don't really 'get' pin-up as well, so having characters and themes the general public can recognise generates interest in the routine.
What prompted you to choose Harry Potter as the inspiration for your Geekabilly routine?
Harry Potter is my favourite book and movie series of all time. I was 10 when I picked up the first book and grew up with the series as the books and movies were released. I always wanted to go to Hogwarts so my idea was that I found a time turner and used it to go to Hogwarts in the 1950s. I'm a proud Hufflepuff, so I designed my outfit to be a 50s Hufflepuff uniform.
Do you get stage fright and do you have any tips for overcoming it?
I get awful stage fright! My tips would be practice, practice, practice! I really focus on practicing the poses and my facial expressions. I find the more prepared I feel the less nervous I get.
I recommend always trying to have back-up plans in case of emergencies as well. Take a back-up copy of your music, take a spare pair of stockings and eyelash glue, etc. If something goes pear-shaped it can throw you off and make it very stressful which I think will up any stage fright.
How does it feel to be the winner of the 2018 Ballarat Beat Pinup competition?
Better than getting a Hogwarts acceptance letter (well almost)! It was a big shock. When they announced JP as the winner of the geekabilly category I was thinking 'Oh well, there's always next year to win a category' so I was in a bit of disbelief when they announced me as Miss Ballarat Beats 2018! There were so many amazing, talented pin-ups in the competition, it was a real honour to have won.
The weekend was a lot of fun afterwards as well, I felt like a Ballarat celebrity. There was a lot of photo taking, dancing, shopping and congratulatory hugs and drinks.
What did you enjoy most about the Ballarat Beat Pinup Competition?
Getting to see all the amazing routines everyone put together! Everyone puts so much work into the routines and there's such an awesome variety of acts. There were some great comedic acts this year as well - the Twinups and Miss Giggles and Miss Curvy (Paul Toms and Bob Martello) were definitely some of my favourite highlights.
What’s up next for you?
I might be a bit quiet for the next 6 months as I'm back at uni but I'll be watching and cheering on at Cars for Kids and judging at Rosebud Rock n Rods. I'm keeping my eye out for competitions though as I've got a few routines in mind I want to perform!
Ballarat Beat Images by Brett Allen
Vamp Studio image by 42nd Street Photography