Calling all aspiring musos: How to sign up for Matt Corby’s free virtual mentorship session

ARIA-winning indie rocker Matt Corby has opened up his once-exclusive a music mentorship program to the masses to encourage people to perform to a live crowd, not a phone screen. Find out how to get involved.

Matt Corby performs in Sydney during the Great Southern Nights tour, December 05, 2020.

Matt Corby is on a mission to “help breathe new life into the live music industry following years of upheaval,” by encouraging aspiring Aussie musos to get out there and perform live, not to a phone camera.

The ARIA-winning indie-rocker, who was runner up in the 2007 season of Australian Idol and has released two top five albums, is famously fame-averse.

After the maelstrom of media attention generated by Idol, Corby became staunch in his view that sudden fame and true creative expression don’t mix.

Matt Corby performs in Sydney during the Great Southern Nights tour, December 05, 2020.

Matt Corby performs in Sydney during the Great Southern Nights tour, December 05, 2020.

He’s not a fan of reality television as a career launch pad, nor social media: “The best place to grow as an artist is performing live,” he told Confidential. “You can have great records – but have no live presence, and people will really struggle to understand who you actually are and how you can create an experience.”

This was the genesis behind his Music 101 mentorship program with Wild Turkey, which began in April.

Corby has since been mentoring up-and-coming singers and taking them out on tour with him for the Wild Sessions off-grid gigs. He’s produced younger artists such as ARIA-winning indigenous singer Budjerah, and ruby union star turned protégé Will Clift.

Matt Corby is running a program for inspiring musicians.

Now, Corby is opening up the ultra-exclusive program to a wider audience, inviting “all aspiring musicians” to attend a free virtual masterclass on November 20.

With the advent of TikTok, “artists potentially have the chance to get noticed and quite quickly,” Corby said.

“I really wanted to encourage aspiring artists to believe in their craft, feel confident in their artistic ability and vision, and show the importance of following your own voice,” he said.

“There is no better way I can think to do this than by investing in emerging Aussie talent and sharing my own experience as a musician.”

Now 33, and with the European, UK, and North America tours of his third album Everything’s Fine wrapped up, Corby is excited “to have some time at home and be back in the studio”.

“Touring is challenging being away from my family, but seeing international audiences again was such a highlight of this year. I can’t put into words the feeling of my band smashing it on stage and having the audience sharing so much energy with us.”

Corby’s Virtual Masterclass can be RSVP’d to on Eventbrite until November 17.

Originally published as Calling all aspiring musos: How to sign up for Matt Corby’s free virtual mentorship session