-By Kim Parnell-

The first time I saw Sammy Jay, she was commanding the stage at Z-PAC Theatre in Mosquitoes. I had no idea who she was, but among a talented cast, there was something magnetic about her performance. I remember thinking, “I could be sitting in a London theatre or watching a Broadway production.” Yes, she really is that good.

What I didn’t know was that acting was only one of Sammy’s talents. I had no idea she could sing—or that she was one half of a popular local duo.

Months later, while compiling the Gig Guide for this edition, a name caught my eye: A Soft Focus. It was intriguing and stayed with me. But it wasn’t until I sat down with Sammy Jay and her partner, Kyle Davis, that everything fell into place. The moment Sammy spoke and that gorgeous English accent filled the room, recognition dawned.

I had seen this woman before—under the theatre lights.

Born in Milton Keynes, England, Sammy grew up surrounded by encouragement. Her parents supported her love of performing through private singing lessons and performing arts schools—and remain her biggest fans.

Sammy has called Hervey Bay home for three years. It was here that she met Kyle, appropriately enough, at Z-PAC Theatre during auditions for The Lovely Bones.

“We were the first two people to arrive,” Sammy recalls. We both got parts and our relationship grew from there

Originally from Canada, Kyle has lived in Australia for almost 18 years and in Hervey Bay for around four and a half.

According to their friend Katie, there was an instant spark. Sammy and Kyle have been inseparable ever since, and it wasn’t long before their shared creativity spilled beyond the theatre and into music.

“I’d always wanted to do music, but I’d never known anybody who could sing really well,” Kyle says. “Sammy isn’t just a good singer; she’s phenomenal. She inspired me to get back on the piano and do more with the guitar.”

A drummer in his younger years, Kyle began joining Sammy for relaxed jam sessions with friends. Those informal performances gradually evolved into A Soft Focus.

“The name came from our love of film, theatre and music,” Sammy explains. “The words ‘soft focus’ connects with all those things. We describe our sound as soft, jazzy and lounge-style. We experiment with different genres, but we like to keep things mellow.”

Their first official performance was at 8-Bit Bar in Scarness, and the duo has been steadily finding its place in the Fraser Coast music scene ever since.

Kyle believes Sammy’s voice is central to what makes their sound distinctive.

“Her voice is powerful, elegant and highly refined,” he says. “From a technical musical standpoint, it is brilliantly executed. It’s next level!”

Sammy believes their piano-led arrangements also give them a different flavour.

“There are many amazing guitar duos around town but having piano and vocals gives us our own feel,” she says.

Kyle currently plays keyboard and guitar, although he has plans to add a stomp box for a touch of percussion.

There may also be another musical project quietly taking shape.

“We’ve started putting pen to paper for some country songs,” Kyle reveals. “We’d eventually like to form a band, but that’s a separate secret project.”

“It’s not a secret anymore!” Sammy jumps in, laughing.

While their duo will remain the priority, they are open to exploring other styles, collaborating with musicians and occasionally venturing beyond their mellow lounge sound.

A Soft Focus recently stepped into the spotlight through Hervey Bay Unplugged, a competition showcasing emerging performers from across the Fraser Coast and Wide Bay. At the time of writing, Sammy and Kyle had earned a place in the Grand Final alongside six other bands, duos and solo artists.

“The competition has been phenomenal,” Sammy says. “The amount of talent in this region is amazing. We feel incredibly lucky to have made the Grand Final.”

“All the performers are fantastic,” Kyle adds. “The judges have had a difficult decision in every round. Whoever wins will be very deserving.”

For Sammy, entering the competition was about more than winning. It was an opportunity to push beyond her comfort zone, build confidence and introduce A Soft Focus to a wider audience.

“I’ve always wanted to be part of the music scene,” she says. “Over the years, I’ve expressed myself through acting, theatre and musicals. When this competition appeared, I wanted to give Kyle and myself the opportunity to be seen and heard.”

Kyle describes the timing as serendipitous. They had only recently begun performing more seriously when Sammy discovered the competition and applied.

Now, the pair is taking everything they have learned onstage and pouring it into the music. Sammy, who works as a drama and film teacher, draws upon years of developing confidence, stage presence and emotional connection.

“If I’m singing an emotional song, I need to feel it—not only in my voice, but within myself,” she says. “Once you have that connection, the audience can connect with it too.”

Kyle’s musical influences are wonderfully varied. Growing up in the 1990s, he listened to Nirvana and Metallica and played in rock bands but also performed classical music in orchestras and toured competitively with marching bands across the United States.

“That gave me a wide range of influences,” he says. “My musical horizons are still expanding all the time.”

Sammy’s musical beginnings arrived remarkably early.

“The first song I learned to sing, when I was three, was Whitney Houston’s version of ‘I Will Always Love You’,” she says. “Whitney became a vocal queen to me. And obviously, Dolly Parton is still the love of my life!”

Her soulful influences include Etta James and Aretha Franklin, followed later by Amy Winehouse and Adele. Rock and R&B also played important roles in shaping her voice.

“All those influences have come together in the way I sing,” she says. “That music is timeless.”

While their musical backgrounds differ, their goal is shared: to create a live experience that people genuinely feel.

“We don’t want people to simply observe us playing a song—you can turn on the radio for that,” Kyle explains. “We want to connect with the audience and give them an experience they can only have while sitting in front of live performers.”

“When I sing, I want the audience to feel something,” Sammy adds. “I want them to walk away remembering it—but I also want them to have fun.”

She admires contemporary artists such as Sienna Spiro, Olivia Dean and Adele for the way they draw listeners into a story.

“That’s what I love,” she says with a laugh. “I suppose that’s the actor in me.”

Their advice for other emerging performers is simple: enjoy the journey and resist the urge to measure yourself against somebody else’s highlight reel.

“Comparison is the thief of joy,” Kyle says. “Don’t compare yourself to others. Just have fun discovering what you can do.”

Looking ahead, Sammy and Kyle hope to perform for larger audiences, collaborate with other musicians and continue expanding the story of A Soft Focus.

“My ultimate dream is to make music my primary life,” Sammy says.

With Sammy’s unforgettable voice, Kyle’s musicianship and their easy-going chemistry, that dream is already coming into focus.

If you haven’t seen A Soft Focus perform, look them up in this month’s Gig Guide and support them live. You may arrive expecting a few mellow songs—but you could walk away having felt something you won’t soon forget.

Instagram: @asoftfocusband
TikTok: @sammyjaycobar
Facebook: A Soft Focus – Piano Duo
Email: asoftfocusband@gmail.com  

Cover image: A Soft Focus – Photo credit – Joy Butler