Miles Phillips’ Song About Eastern Rosellas Goes Viral and Ben Lee Covers It

The song began as a simple observation on a veranda at Raymond Island, where Miles Phillips was feeding bird seed. While pigeons and lorikeets visited, the eastern rosella stood out to the young songwriter, who noted the birds were really friendly and repeatedly tapped on the window to request more seed, according to Theguardian.

Phillips developed the track by first writing the chorus—Eastern rosellas, eastern rosellas, look at the beautiful colours—before expanding the piece into a full song with a verse and a bridge. The initial version was a home recording filmed with his father, Joel Phillips, at a family keyboard in June. A later full band version posted by Joel Phillips is what triggered the viral surge on social media, resulting in nearly 3,000 comments, according to Theguardian.

Musical Influence and Industry Reception

The song’s sonic profile has drawn a wide array of comparisons from Triple J Unearthed, which suggests the track sounds like a blend of The Strokes, The Killers, Taylor Swift, Vampire Weekend, The Ramones, The Kooks, Scouting For Girls, the B-52s, and Hot Hot Heat, according to Theguardian.

This broad appeal led to covers by established acts including Ball Park Music and Ben Lee. Phillips described the experience of hearing his work on the radio and performed by professional artists as really cool and a little bit strange and weird, though he added that the positive feedback made him feel really well loved, according to Theguardian.

Creativity and the AI Debate

Joel Phillips told Theguardian that when Eastern Rosellas first began charting, there was debate over whether the track had been produced by AI. He noted that the success of a song written by a seven-year-old suggests that our kids are going to be OK.

The Phillips family attributes this creative output to a household environment that prioritizes imagination over screen time. Joel Phillips stated that he and his wife foster creativity in their four children by giving permission and making it normal to sing and create, according to Theguardian.

The Spikeheads and Future Projects

Phillips is continuing his musical pursuits through a new band called The Spikeheads, formed with friends. While he has played drums for two years, his father notes he has been tapping with his hands for as long as I’ve known, according to Theguardian.

The young drummer is currently working on a new song titled The Rock of Doom. A sample of the track features a pop-rock style reminiscent of Meat Loaf, with lyrics describing an attempt to wake up at four in the morning, according to Theguardian.