The first episode of The Northsiders introduces us to Melbourne artist Sian Taylor.
In November last year, a new quintessentially-Melbourne web series emerged to capture the iconic millennial stereotypes currently driving the city’s contemporary zeitgeist.
Titled The Northsiders, across two introductory episodes we were introduced to Sian Taylor and DJ Emia – two inner-north-residing Melburnians who are always on the go and can never find enough time in the day to capitalise on their creative aspirations.
With a 30-minute pilot episode set for release on November 4, we thought we’d put together a special introduction to the show’s two primary characters.
For the purposes of this piece, we’ll be profiling Sian Taylor – a Melbourne artist, writer, creative director, content creator who also dabbles in copywriting, art directing and styling as well as other endeavours such as photography, producing, curating, marketing, designing, drawing and strategising, just to name a few.
Bit of a mouth full? Well that’s the whole point. The beauty of The Northsiders is that it’s gloriously exaggerated and wonderfully pertinent. It accurately captures the Melbourne of today – a hub for creative expression and imagination – yet is so comically magnified that it doesn’t condone the excessive behaviour carried out by the characters.
Throughout the first five-minute introductory episode, we follow Sian as she goes about her day-to-day with a bottle of San Pellegrino in hand. From her renowned female figure paintings which range from $14,000 to $57,000 in price, to her photography and “hedonistic and explorative” writing which sees her freelance for several publications, Sian encapsulates the industrious Melbourne creative.
Sian grew up in Toorak in Melbourne’s southside but moved northside when she turned 18 and has been a Collingwood resident ever since. She has an infatuation with female breasts, something which was first established from a young age.
“My fascination with the female body began when I was an infant. I had very progressive parents and I was breastfed until I was nine years old. I always just found them [breasts] very beautiful and supple and ever since then I’ve just been obsessed with different types of breasts and genitalia,” Sian candidly explains.
When Sian isn’t working “which is never”, she’ll be having wines with her girlfriends. But to avoid any hangover that could potentially hinder her busy work schedule, Sian drinks natural wines that consist of a lower alcohol percentage.
Check out the first introductory episode of The Northsiders below.
Next week, we’ll profile DJ Emia who lives in Brunswick. Emia runs her own record label, Cooked Chook Records, alongside her housemate Sarah, and also works full time at a call centre.
When she’s not DJing, running her label or working at the call centre, she spends time at home listening to records, shopping at Savers or walking her adopted greyhound, Cheeto.
Stay tuned for next week’s piece on episode two of The Northsiders. The web series’ 30-minute pilot is set for release on November 4.
For more on The Northsiders, check out their Facebook and Instagram.
Never miss a story. Sign up to Beat’s newsletter and you’ll be served fresh music, arts, food and culture stories three times a week.
