Power 50 - #42: Sarah Hamilton

Ditto Music - whose former and current artists include Tash Sultana, Amy Shark, Alex Lahey, Manu Crook$, Didirri, long-term legends like Killing Heidi, The Jezabels, Augie March and a whole slew breakthrough independent artists – gained serious ground in 2017.

Not least was an international expansion program that saw them set up new offices in Brazil, the Philippines, India, Mexico, Colombia and more, with 11 sites around the world in total. Not one to rest on their laurels, Sarah Hamilton is already exploring partnerships in Seoul, South Korea in an effort to bump that number to 12.

As the Australian Client Manager for a company that’s specialty is helping independent artists break ground in an often inscrutable digital landscape, Hamilton has become a regular figure of panels, podcasts and lectures on topics such as digital distribution, how to use Spotify, Apple Music and other platforms as an independent artist or label.

She is also the co-founder of One Of One, along with Joanna Cameron and previously Vader Fame, a group that “shine the spotlight on women in the Australian music industry”. Now in their third year, One Of One have built a diverse online community of industry achievers through regular profiles on both up-and-comers and established veterans. They’ve covered “artists, managers, label heads, bookers, publicists, radio personalities, tour managers et al”, from The Beautiful Monuments’ Shelby Ouston to Riot House Publicity founder and director Heidi Braithwaite.

Last March also marked the launch of One Of One Breakfast, a yearly face to face mentorship opportunity for young women in the music industry. The inaugural event featured keynotes from Jen Cloher and Holly Pereira, a surprise performance from Amanda Palmer, the revivification of the Linda Gebar Lighthouse Award, and saw Chloe Turner receive the first UNIFIED Emerging Award.