Ali Foster she/her

Foster shared some early moments that inspired her to keep playing drums:

Foster: So I was in Year 10 and I had bought a rock notation book and I was playing the song Freak by Silverchair and reading the notation and playing along with the audio on my drum kit at home. And when I like pieced together like this floor tom and high tom hit and played it the right time along with the record… I played Freak by Silverchair and this sort of light bulb moment happened and I was like, “This is so fun!” Like this is powerful, for me. It felt like it lit something up in me, like, playing the song with the notation was like, “Oh!” And then that really lit a fire in me to want to get better.  

Actually another song, Silverchair – Miss You Love. I played it for the year group in year eight and that was like the first time I think I performed to my peers and it was so nerve wracking. But I didn't like, I didn't die! And I think it wasn't too scary. I wasn’t that scared. But then I did it. I played well and then I got some good feedback. So, it was the start of that dopamine rush of performing - the adrenaline and then doing it, and then you being OK. It was the start of that addiction to that rush, I think. 

“Could you tell me about some role models or mentors who have inspired or helped you to pursue your career?”

Foster: Sandy Evans. 100%. Zoe Hauptmann.

Sandy Evans, she helped me with her Young Women's Jazz Workshops way back in the day… I was in Year 10. And she was just like, she wanted me to have more of a voice and she was really encouraging! And she was like, “Play that ride cymbal like your life depends on it!” And she would get me to play louder, play more, just go hectic rather than be so restrained.

So she wasn't my actual group leader. Zoe Hauptmann was the group leader in that. And Zoe was awesome… She taught me about locking in with the bass and the drums - how important that relationship is musically. So, she taught me all about lining up the kick drum with the bass and the different grooves. Latin grooves and jazz grooves and two-feels and walking. And she made me feel like, really... She empowered me, gave me confidence, I guess.

So, I had her as my group leader and then every now and then Sandy would just be like, “Come on, let's go!” Like, “Solo!” She just wanted me to go solo and go nuts! And so, she helped me to sort of come out of my shell a bit more when I was back in year 10. And so, I think I had about four of those workshops. It was really, really great.

Foster went on to work alongside Sandy Evans in the ‘Bridge of Dreams’ project with Sirens Big Band and also Zoe Hauptmann in the house band for the Australian Women in Music Awards. She also mentioned Lozz Benson, another one of the drummers featured in these interviews, as a source of inspiration:

Foster: I feel like Lozz Benson is a role model… I gave her a couple of lessons... But I felt like I learned a lot from her and was inspired by her cause her vocals were so good while she was drumming. So, backing vocals are something I've been working on for these bands that I work with. And so, she's a huge inspiration for that.

“What's your experience of gender equality in your music scene?”

Foster: I don't know, I guess... Because I am a woman on the drums, I've been eligible for the opportunities where they do want women on the drums.

I feel like I've got a lot of work because of my gender, but at the same time someone has said something to me like, “but you've also got it because you're good.” Like it's just kind of like this balancing act of like, am I getting this gig because I'm good or just because of my gender?

And I do a lot of recording sessions with male producers that book me, and I don't get the sense that they're booking me because they need a woman on their session. I just think they're doing it because they like my playing.

“How do you come to terms with sometimes being the only woman in the band?”

Foster: Like way back in the day, like when I was graduating from the Con and stuff, it was hard. Like, it was only like me [and two other women] in the whole four years of the course. And there's eight dudes in my year. But across the whole four years there was, you know, 120 of us or something in the jazz course. So, it did get a bit old…

Then there's that kind of self-doubt. Am I the token woman that they've accepted out of the 30 people that auditioned? Like, why didn't someone else get it? You start comparing yourself, “Am I just here as a token female?” So way back when I was in uni, it was harder because you're trying to get better, so you don't even know if you're really that good - or good enough to be there. You don't know if you're just there to tick some boxes.

I mean, I did remember sort of feeling included and like they wanted me to succeed, and they wanted me to keep getting better. Like, the male lecturers were really encouraging and I felt like they wanted me to be the best I could be. Like, certainly.

…I am getting better at choosing what I what I want to do and saying no to things I don't. So that's good. But I do think in general, society is improving.

“What kind of music initiatives or programs or equality programs would you like to see in your music scene to better empower and inspire future drummers?”

Foster: I think Jazz workshops are really handy because it's that forced improvisation on the spot, like, creativity on the spot and coming out of yourself. I think jazz workshops in general are great for creativity and empowerment and working together as a team. Yeah, teaching young children how to play jazz, how to improvise, because it would be a great initiative for any young player.

“What is one thing you would like to tell young, gender diverse and women drummers that you wish you had heard when you were growing up?”

Foster: I mean, one of the best things is to sort of play each gig like it could be your last gig. I think that's a good thing.

The main thing is that… 99% of the time is just about being with people, 1% of the time is the gig. So, you've got to be an easy person to get along with. You gotta be professional. You gotta make connections. Like, it's about your friendships with your band… It's less about the music and more about your friendships. Then the music gets easier when you are together on the stage.