I’ve been obsessed with music for as long as I can remember. My mum says I used to crawl out of my crib and fall asleep with my head next to the radio.

I grew up playing in bands and touring around the country and overseas, while always keeping one foot in the business side of the industry.

My first official role was collecting gig guide listings for a syndication company that supplied them to websites and newspapers. From there I moved into editorial, writing reviews and interviewing artists, which eventually led to becoming Music Editor at Myspace.

I landed my first A&R role at a time when I had actually decided to leave the industry and was studying Interpreting and Translation at University. A&R had always been my dream job, so I left my course and spent a year and a half as an A&R Coordinator at Warner Music. I then moved to Ivy League Records as Label Manager, which was a dream at the time because I was obsessed with Cloud Control.

After five years as Label Manager, I transitioned into A&R, having already been doing it unofficially for some time. In total, I spent 12 years across Ivy League and Mushroom, working with incredible people and building a roster of artists I love, before being tapped on the shoulder for my current role as Head of A&R at Island Records/Universal Music Australia.

It’s hard to know where to start, but it’s an unbelievably noisy time in the world, which makes it increasingly difficult to reach people, no matter how great you are. Everyone has access to all the music ever made, and kids are discovering artists like Nirvana and Madonna for the first time. Cutting through and holding people’s attention is tougher than ever.

I also think there are fewer opportunities for discovery at a grassroots level, particularly with the loss of many major festivals. Playing early slots as a new artist at festivals used to be a foundational step in building a real, tangible fanbase.

We are also so far away from the rest of the world and the world has gotten so expensive – it’s expensive to fly, to be accommodated, to eat and drink. Exporting yourself as an artist by touring internationally is further and further from reach for people who don’t have financial backing.

I’ve had an almost singular focus on music my whole life, so it felt inevitable I’d end up in this industry. I’ve always believed music is the most powerful and immediate of the art forms, it can create connection, provide understanding, comfort, and catharsis in a way nothing else can. Music has saved me many times by offering escape or safe harbour; it’s simply my favourite world to be in.

My parents for sure. They’ve always encouraged me to follow my passion and that life is better when you lean into what makes your soul happy. They’ve always been my loudest and most enthusiastic cheerleaders, I’m very lucky.

Two pieces of advice guide me every day. The first is that being kind and empathetic is just as, if not more, effective than throwing your weight around when it comes to getting things done (thank you Andy Kelly). The second is to never change how I operate to appear more like the men in my field. Being a woman in a male-dominated industry is an advantage, sometimes a different perspective or a gentler approach is exactly what a project needs (thank you Linda Bosidis).

Trust your abilities, follow your gut, say what you mean and mean what you say, be kind and be patient.

To help the artists I love have truly long-term, global careers.

I’m incredibly proud of everything I achieved during the 12 years I spent at Ivy League. Signing and releasing albums by artists like The Teksey Brothers, The Rubens, Rolling Blackouts CF, Hatchie and Mia Wray (to name a few) was an unbelievable honour.

If I had to choose one achievement, though, it would be accepting my current role at Island Records/Universal Music, which in doing so, made me the first female Head of A&R at a major label in Australia. It’s wild that it’s taken this long to see a woman in this seat, but I’m incredibly proud, and grateful to be helping pave the way for many more after me.

The best gig I’ve ever seen was Bad Bunny in Puerto Rico last year during his DTMF residency.
It was an unbelievable experience, and a masterclass in what true national support for the arts can look like. Knowing fans were flying in from all over the world, you were greeted by flags, murals, and billboards promoting local artists under the banner “The Sound of Puerto Rico” from the moment you stepped off the plane. They were ALL over the city.

In Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny is more than just a musical artist, he’s a symbol of what the country stands for. You couldn’t walk into a shop or drive down a street without seeing something tied to him and the residency.

The show itself was also wild! It was seeing an icon in his prime, at the height of his fame. The staging, sound, and atmosphere were off the charts, three hours of dancing and more than 18,000 people screaming every word. It was a truly once-in-a-lifetime, unforgettable experience.

I get a lot of massages… probably one a fortnight. I’m an introvert by nature, so recharging is very important for me. Quiet things like going for a walk, reading, listening to music all bring me back when i need it.

Shoop by Salt-N-Pepa. I don’t even need the lyric prompts!