How Award-Winning Musician Kate Ceberano Winds Down to Nurture Her Creative Mind

Welcome to Bedtime Stories, an interview series where we ask inspiring individuals to share their nighttime routine and sleep secrets – from the beauty products they can’t live without to the tricks they swear by when they’re too tired to function (no coffee needed). For this instalment, musician Kate Ceberano, shares how she is always creating something with music or her hands and how  fasting has improved her health. 

It's no mean feat to produce 28 albums, but renowned Australian musician Kate Ceberano has achieved this and plenty more in her impressive 40-year career. She was the first Australian woman inducted into the Australian Songwriters Association Hall of Fame in 2014, awarded Order of Australia in 2016 for services to the arts and charity, and navigated the arts industry during a particularly difficult period. 

Despite the devastating effects the pandemic has had on the arts industry, Kate took on the challenge with humility. She released her 28th album ‘Sweet Inspiration’ which she says "...contains my thoughts about life, nature, beauty and the human spirit”. 

In true creative style, Kate also turns to other forms of art as an outlet. She recently partnered with Fine Print Co to create a beautiful series of limited edition prints titled 'Unsung Songs. These prints are inspired by nature and textiles using acrylics on canvas or ink and pen on paper. Kate also appeared as the subject for Sydney-based artist Kathrin Longhurt's painting 'Kate' which won the Australian Archibald 2021 Packing Room Prize.

Here, Bed Threads Journal sat down with the award-winning musician to find out how she kickstarts and winds down her day to nurture her creative mind.

Hi Kate! Welcome to Bedtime Stories. Can you walk us through your bedtime ritual?

First of all, I always make my bed in the morning because I think there is nothing more decadent than climbing into a fully-made bed! I love snuggling into a mountain of pillows and quilts, especially in Melbourne.

I get to bed early in lockdown around 9pm-9.30pm, much earlier than ever before in my working life. I lie in bed and talk to my family who are currently overseas for an hour, read a chapter from my book, and to sleep by 10pm. In a song I once wrote about our lives ('Beautiful Life'), I refer to my husband as being the ‘spirit of the dawn’ and I’m the ‘spirit of the night’. Everything is reversed in these times.

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A post shared by Kate Ceberano (@therealkateceberano)

What sleep or beauty products do you swear by that you won’t go a night without? 

I’m completely obsessed with Doctor Natasha Cook’s concentrated moisturizer, and I use a product called 'Synchro' if I feel particular dehydrated (it smells gorgeous too). I feel like one of those old Hollywood film stars who slap it on like cold cream and sleep on their back with their hair pulled back in a headband. Very ‘Mommie Dearest’ but it absolutely works and I get a lot of compliments.

What is your solution for those nights you simply can’t nod off to sleep?

When I absolutely cannot sleep, I turn to audio books. I listen to old classics; Anna Karenina, Wuthering Heights, Ken Follett novels.

What time does your alarm go off in the morning? Walk us through your morning routine.

I get up early around 6.30am and turn on the coffee machine (a big Italo 'Giaggia' – it’s like the  Porsche of bistro coffee machines). I make a vitamin C bomb with collagen, vitamin D and E. I let that do its work for an hour while showering and getting ready for Pilates. I then grab a coffee, hit the floor, pump out an hour mat class with my buddy Dimitria online (I’ve been training with her for about five years).

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A post shared by Kate Ceberano (@therealkateceberano)

What are three things (besides coffee) that help when you’re too tired to function?

If I’m 'too tired to function', it’s probably one of three things. I drank too much the night before, I ate something I shouldn’t have and my blood sugar has gone wacky, or I really worked out the day before or walked a long way (which happens when you’re got restricted lockdown exercise times). I tend to walk for no less than the two hours we are allowed. I put on flamenco music and dance, paint or sketch or play the piano. It seems I forget my body altogether, I’m creating something with music or my hands.

What do you normally eat for breakfast to kickstart your day?

Fasting has really helped me. I usually don’t eat from 6pm till 11:30am the next day, sometimes 12pm. When I have breakfast it’s usually berries and yoghurt or eggs and spinach. I don’t eat toast (as much as I’d love to) or any other white foods for that matter including potatoes or rice. This has helped tremendously with hormones, weight gain, menopause, and lockdown inertia.

Photo by Tash Curato with a piano from @kawaiipianos

For more from Kate, follow her Instagram @therealkateceberano

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