Naomi Fallon July 19, 2012
Owl Eyes and Stonefield will be performing together on tour. Photo: Supplied
Brooke Addamo knows a thing or two about drawing a line.
Thrust into the spotlight at just 17 on the set of reality TV show Australian Idol, the artist now known as Owl Eyes fell victim to an inevitable trail of online abuse and vilification.
In a show of maturity well beyond her years, she made a decision not to look at comments on forums and websites.
''I think at the start I did find it hard, but you just kind of learn that that's how it is,'' she says. ''You just have to be a really strong person … and when someone crosses the line, instead of dwelling on it I just tend to put it out of my mind. You have to have lovers to have haters and you have to have haters to have lovers, so it's a kind of a double-edged sword.''
The softly spoken 21-year-old has teamed up with rock outfit Stonefield on Winter Road Trip 2012 to promote The Line, an Australian Government initiative encouraging respectful relationships among young people.
The campaign also aims to raise awareness about everything from sexting, texting and cyberbullying to inappropriate physical behaviour.
Addamo and Stonefield's Findlay sisters are the latest stars to jump on board with The Line campaign, joining existing musical ambassadors Pez, Maya Jupiter and Lisa Mitchell.
Addamo says The Line's message of respect is one that really resonates with her.
''I just really admired what they were doing,'' she says. ''It's just a really great organisation, it doesn't preach anything, and it just raises awareness.
''As a musician it's nice to use what I do to promote that.''
But it's not just the star's musical talents which are being used to spread The Line's message. She also took the chance to participate in the campaign's online forum, where she got to chat with young people as a guest mentor.
''I found that kids wanted to talk about their feelings and their problems,'' she says. ''It was mainly girls talking about boys, of course, and just relationships they have, what their friends are going through.
''I just gave them my opinion and if it was serious I would just direct them to a wider selection of counsellors.''
When Addamo is not working with The Line, she's slaving away in the studio, working day and night on the debut album for Owl Eyes.
The Melbourne singer-songwriter's 2011 single Raiders was a hit, finding itself a place on Triple J's Hottest 100 alongside her popular cover of Foster the People's Pumped Up Kicks.
Her current single Crystallised is also receiving plenty of attention, paving the way for her debut album set to be released in October.
Addamo promised an inspired album that would be a bit more personal than her previous works.
''I think I've developed a lot as a writer and an artist, and I've learnt to let more people and write about more personal experiences,'' she says. ''The main themes for my album are about becoming a woman and going through all of those feelings … the things inside that get to me and have got to me through the album process, anxieties and things like that.
''It's nerve-wracking but it's also really exciting to get it out to the world.''
Owl Eyes and Stonefield
WHEN: Thursday, August 9
WHERE: Zierholz @ UC
TICKETS: From Moshtix on 1300 438 849 or moshtix.com
■ Naomi Fallon is a staff writer, a music lover and a keen baker