Angus and Julia Stone on a roll with music mentoring program
The indie-folk duo will mentor aspiring Australian musicians as the industry faces a wave of uncertainty following the cancellations of beloved festivals.
Sydney indie-folk duo Angus & Julia Stone have been announced as lead mentors in a program slated to give aspiring musicians expert guidance in navigating the industry, which has been plunged into a state of uncertainty amid a slew of festival cancellations.
Wild Turkey Bourbon’s Music 101 Mentorship Program will welcome 10 aspiring Australian artists to build and showcase their skills during a host of masterclasses on recording, mixing, performance tips, and creative career management.
It comes after the cancellation of festivals such as Splendour in the Grass and Groovin The Moo.
In a further blow to Australian artists, the ARIA charts are completely dominated by international artists, with the only two Australian appearances in this week’s charts being Cyril’s Stumblin’ In at 37 and Vance Joy’s Riptide at 48, the latter of which was released more than 10 years ago.
Julia Stone said despite the uncertainty, the current climate could make space for more local artists to shine. “That potentially means there’s an opening for a more vibrant Australian music scene,” she said.
“We have so many incredible, extraordinary artists who don’t have places to play, and hopefully there’s a more mid-tier look or space for a festival that can support more Australian artists.”
More space could be further supported by calls for Michael’s Rule to be instated, which would make it compulsory for international artists to include an Australian artist among their opening acts, in memory of Canadian-Australian music manager Michael McMartin.
“As things fall apart, people get creative about how to fill that space and change things. And that’s the only way change happens,” Julia said.
The mentorship program is also set to offer a unique opportunity to support and elevate Australian artists, with the pair hoping to impart practical tips on participants, as well as encourage them to trust that their sound and what they have to say as songwriters is important.
As well as the lessons conducted by the Stones, participants will also attend six sessions to learn mixing, vocal production, and other essential skills.
One of Australia’s leading vocal producers, Simon Cohen, is set to host a vocal production session, and said the program would allow artists to be “bold and unapologetic in their art” while providing exposure and visibility.
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