BIGSOUND 2016 Speaker Focus: Simona Castricum

Organisation: Musician

How did you first become involved in the music business and how did you end up where you are today? I DJ'd at my own events during university, started playing live in nightclubs and releasing music independently, I never stopped making music and playing shows since, now I'm on LISTEN Records and touring internationally.

What's been the biggest change in the music business you've seen over the past 12 months? The emergence of visibly queer and gender non-conforming bands, DJs and autonomous musical communities with access to independent radio, the ongoing rise of gender diverse participation in micro-festivals, clubs to organisations and the implementation of safe space policy.

What do you think will be the biggest issue affecting the music industry in the next 12 months and why? Independent festivals/radio and grass-roots bookers are more representational of women, artists of colour, gender non-conforming artists. How this evolves into more mainstream industry is already causing challenges. The power base needs change for emerging markets.

What advice would you give young practitioners in your area starting out today? Keep making music and performing, don't let anyone tell you you're shit. They're not your people. You're never too old, you've never wasted any time. Persistence; you will find community, safety and your audience.

What will you be primarily discussing during your appearance at the BIGSOUND conference? Celebrate our gender diverse musicians and musical communities, call for greater access to agency and representation. Leaders in discussion against misogyny/cissexism are victim blamed, tone policed, denied opportunity, vilified for 'brand damage' by industry peers.

What are you hoping that people will be able to learn from your panel/interview? If gender diverse music confronts you, good; art should do that. If our vocals are off-pitch, performances too full on, too sad, too transfemme or butch, listen again, they are inspirational narratives of survival.

What do you personally hope to take away from your time at BIGSOUND? I hope to take away shared or interconnected experiences that bring about positive solutions. Representation is about building relationships between diverse people. I want industry to see the value and beauty in gender diverse music.

When and where is your panel/interview? 7 Sep, The Judith Wright Centre, 3:35pm