Surahn Sidhu, Musician, Owner Papershell Farm, and Music Director, James Suckling “Great Wines” Tours (Australia)

Years In Industry:

I have worked in music for 30 years and both sides of my families had mixed farming backgrounds. I started performing in nightclubs in Melbourne as a kid and through high school, ultimately leaving school to pursue my music career.

In my early 20s I began touring with my high school band The Swiss and then Empire of The Sun. I have developed my love, passion and appreciation of wine through local South Australian wine scene and met James Suckling in 2016 at the Gourmet Escape in Margaret River, Western Australia. We quickly became friends, and today I am his full-time music director, curating music for 20 Great Wines events a year, and curating music for his wine bar, Wine Central in Hong Kong.    

My Biggest Challenge To Wellness: 

Being a young working artist meant being devoted to the craft at all costs, which sometimes meant sacrificing sanity, time with friends, family and wellness. I became a partner in a small hotel at age 24 and had to learn moderation and maturity around drugs and alcohol. That grounding around substance abuse helped me navigate the ups and downs of music touring life. It wasn’t all smooth sailing but I survived. 

I love smoking pot. And go through periods where I am stoned constantly, aka “ high” functioning. Then I quit for months and do yoga. It takes me months to convince myself I need to stop smoking, but ironically the yo-yo perspective gives me extreme clarity and helps consolidate a range of emotions that build up during those hazy months.  Ultimately these periods of excess grow further apart and I'm working towards finding contentment and clarity. 

How I Keep It Together To Stay Well:

My iyenga yoga practice is by far my greatest wellness tool. I think it even has the power to help solve huge issues beyond the self, into society and the earth. We place it at the core of our business structure now at our Papershell Farm in the McLaren Vale wine region. The farm operates across a handful of modes and yoga helps us really zero in on the ability to make that all possible. 

You can hear Surahn’s latest album release on his Spotify artist station, and connect with him on Instagram @surahn