Australian music power list: 20 people who’ve made global pop stars famous
These are the 20 Aussies who’ve had a serious hand in helping international and local music stars reach new heights of fame. SEE THE LIST.
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Australian songwriters, producers and visual artists have been punching above their weight on the world stage, helping to craft the biggest pop songs of the past decade.
After spotlighting 20 of our Creatives Top 40, here is the second half of our power list.
Kevin Parker
There was quite the buzz among fans and industry observers when The Kid Laroi shared photos of the pair cooking up something in the studio last October. Besides his own Grammy-nominated work with Tame Impala, Parker’s production and writing credits include songs by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Travis Scott and Kanye West.
Khaled Rohaim
The six-times Grammys nominated producer is a bona fide hitmaker who has been The Kid Laroi’s mentor since day dot. When he’s not developing new hip hop talent from the Australian suburbs, he’s helped create hits with Rihanna (the billion-streams bonanza Needed Me), Doja Cat (Planet Her), Polo G, Ariana Grande and the late Juice WRLD.
Anna Lunoe
One of the most sought-after DJs in the world for the big festival gigs, the Australian artist is a renaissance hustler whose natural chat talent shines on her Create/Destroy podcast. Lunoe wields power to champion Australian talent to a global audience with her danceXL Radio show on Apple Music.
Sarah Aarons
One of the go-to songwriters of her generation with billions of streams to her credit, Aarons has helped pen hits for Ruel, Khalid, Halsey, Justin Timberlake, Joji and most famously, the Grammy nominated smashes The Middle and Stay with Zedd.
Andrew Klippel
After his star turn in pop trio Euphoria and their 1991 No. 1 hits Love You Right and One In A Million, Klippel turned his innate pop nous to identifying next big things including The Veronicas and most recently, Genesis Owusu. The Smiling With No Teeth star dominated the 2021 ARIA Awards and Klippel was nominated Producer of the Year.
Matt Corby
From his idyllic Rainbow Valley studios in the Byron Bay hinterland, Corby not only crafts his own unique music but is the artist whisperer for Jarryd James, Budjerah, Tia Gostelow and Great Gable and good mate Tash Sultana. He set up a new record label in early 2021.
Keanu Beats
Since one of his beats landed on the Migos track What The Price, the young musician has been mixing it with rap’s elite including Pop Smoke, Polo G, Logic, Lil Baby and The Kid Laroi. His talented contributions added up to 2.3 billion streams last year.
Dann Hume
After finishing up with Evermore, the chart-topping pop group formed with his brothers, Hume has become one of the biggest producers and engineers in the land. His award-winning discography is huge and includes Tones and I, Amy Shark, Fred Again …, Tash Sultana, Dean Lewis and Matt Corby.
Holly Rankin
The artist known as Jack River has become a galvanising force spearheading the Our Soundtrack Our Stories movement to get more Aussie music on television and film and on-hold services. She has also become a powerful ally for climate action and Indigenous issues, penning We Are The Youth as a theme for young activists.
Shane Nicholson
During the hellscape of the pandemic live music shutdowns, Nicholson produced dozens of records for big name country artists and emerging songwriters. His own Living In Colour album is a multi-nominee for the 2022 Golden Guitars.
Eric J
Eric J is one of the go-to engineers in the record-making business, having won a Grammy and a couple of ARIAs for his work with Flume and Chet Faker. His long and illustrious career also includes putting his deft touch on tracks by Chemical Brothers, Weezer, Ruel and The Rubens.
Emily Wurramara
Alongside artists such as Gurrumul and Baker Boy, Wurramara has been at the forefront of bringing Indigenous languages into the pop music mainstream. Her dizzying intellect has also made her a powerful voice for First Nations issues and mentor to emerging artists.
Lindsay Rimes
The Nashville-based music songwriter was inducted to the 1,000,000,000 List last year for his co-write on Heaven by American country music star Kane Brown. His eclectic discography includes Kylie Minogue’s Golden and Busby Marou’s award-winning Days Of Gold.
Ivy Adara
Since her star turn as a co-writer on Jessica Mauboy’s hit Fallin’, the artist and songwriter has co-written tracks for Selena Gomez, Maggie Lindema, Busby Marou and On My way, the lead track from JLo’s upcoming new film Marry Me.
Tyron Hapi
As the producer behind Masked Wolf’s Astronaut In The Ocean, Hapi has enjoyed mega international profile, signing a global deal with BMG, named as one of Variety’s 2021 hitmakers and joining the 1,000,000,000 list.
Twice As Nice
The production hub formed by Nicholas “Unknown Nick” Audino and Lewis Hughes kicked off with the massive Tiesto hit Wasted, were part of the crew behind Rihanna’s Needed Me and have worked with pop A-listers including Post Malone, Ariana Grande and Katy Perry.
Isabella Kearney-Nurse
Aussie pop stars including The Veronicas and Jessica Mauboy love working with this topline writer who is now based in Nashville. She has some top secret projects coming out in 2022 (including a new Vera Blue single).
Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore
One of the team behind the acclaimed Her Sound, Her Story doco about the experience of women and non-binary artists in Australian music, she has directed stunning clips for Courtney Barnett, Holy Holy and Thelma Plum.
Jonathan Zawada
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the eye-popping work of this globally acclaimed artist for the album and single covers of Flume, The Avalanches, The Presets and more has influenced a generation of graphic designers.
Robby De Sa
This rising songwriting star has been instrumental in the development of Aussie pop star-in-waiting May-a. He was also on board for Vera Blue’s latest banger Temper and as a producer and writer on the excellent Gretta Ray debut album Begin To Look Around.
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Originally published as Australian music power list: 20 people who’ve made global pop stars famous
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