When Cassar met Daley: Jem Cassar-Daley's musical lineage traces back to all four grandparents

Singer-songwriter Jem Cassar-Daley dives into her rich artistic lineage in this final episode of Grand Gestures. She shares the love story that brought her dad’s parents together, reflects on her nan’s influential country music collection, and introduces you to her grandmother Dell - Jem's first piano teacher and the artist behind the cover of her latest EP.

Singer and songwriter Jem Cassar-Daley shares memories of her grandparents on Grand Gestures

If you recognise indie pop singer-songwriter Jem Cassar-Daley’s last name, you already know she comes from some serious musical stock. But the family line of artists runs even deeper than her father, country icon Troy Cassar-Daley.

The other side of Jem’s family is just as musical. Her mum’s mum, Grandma Dell, was Jem’s first piano teacher, and the two of them still play duets on the keys to this day.

Dell and Jem

Jem's dad’s mum Irene also had a serious country record collection that influenced much of Troy’s own discography. Irene’s connection to country as a Bundjalung Gumbaynggirr woman was also seminal in Jem’s upbringing, and she learned to hunt witchetty grubs on long walks around their property as a child.

But the lessons Jem's grandparents taught her go deeper than song now that she’s learned about the hardships they overcame in their early lives. From the devastating impact of World War II on her Pop’s large family in his native Malta, or the ostracisation that her Nan Irene faced as a Bundjalung Gumbaynggirr girl growing up outside Coffs Harbour.

Comedian Lizzy Hoo gets to know Jem’s grandparents, hearing how Troy’s parents met thanks to a railway romance straight out of a country tune, and chats to Grandma Dell over FaceTime to hear how much she’s missing Jem since she moved away from home.

My pop was honestly the most optimistic person I think I've ever met in my life. He could make a joke out of absolutely anything… His outlook on everything in Australia was so positive because he'd already been through it at such a young age.

Jem Cassar-Daley

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When Cassar met Daley: Jem Cassar-Daley's musical lineage traces back to all four grandparents

SBS Audio

22/08/202432:50

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Grand Gestures is a Deadset Studios production for SBS Audio.

Host: Lizzy Hoo

Guest: Jem Cassar Daley

Executive Producer: Kellie Riordan

Supervising Producer: Grace Pashley

Producer: Liam Riordan.

Audio editor and sound designer: Jeremy Wilmot.

A huge thanks to the SBS team: Caroline Gates, Joel Supple and Max Gosford.

Artwork: Universal Favourite

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made.