Power 50 - #23: Brett Murrihy

BACKGROUND CHECK

Brett Murrihy founded Artist Voice in 2010 with Matt Gudinski, as part of Michael Gudinski’s Mushroom Group, to book local and international music acts for tours throughout Australasia. In 2015, epic American talent agency William Morris Endeavour (WME) acquired Artist Voice with Murrihy shifting roles from Artist Voice CEO to Head Of Asia Pacific For Music at WME. By absorbing the Artist Voice roster – 5 Seconds Of Summer, Angus & Julia Stone, Matt Corby, Neil Finn and Paul Kelly to just name a few - the acquisition further strengthened WME’s global reach and music roster and vice versa. 

THE YEAR THAT WAS

In his current role, Murrihy continues to expand WME’s footprint into Asia. 2018 WME touring results included Dua Lipa, now being booked in arenas, performing sold out shows across the Asia Pacific region. Paul Kelly has experienced somewhat of a resurgence of late, with 2017's Life Is Fine his first ever #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart followed up by another chart-topper in 2018's Nature and his festive Making Gravy show expanding from a Melbourne-exclusive event to also include Sydney and Brisbane in 2018 (with Angus & Julia Stone in tow). 

Another WME artist kicking goals internationally, Gang Of Youths performed at the NRL Grand Final. Some other 2018 tour highlights that Murrihy and WME had a hand in include Solange headlining Vivid, and St Vincent playing Carriageworks and Dark Mofo. This year's Breakthrough Artist ARIA Award winner, Ruel, is also signed to WME and is noticeably making his mark on a global scale, with a promo tour in South Korea and his second Japanese tour (which included Summer Sonic festival). Yet another WME artist, David Byrne finally brought his wireless American Utopia tour Down Under, and Neil Finn joined Fleetwood Mac.

2018'S CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT?

"Continuing to increase the footprint of WME in Asia Pacific."