The Power 50: Emily York

Emily York got her start in touring with Slingshot back in 2002 before starting her own touring company Penny Drop in 2004, working with independent international artists. In 2014, York announced a joint venture deal with Chugg Entertainment which has seen Penny Drop work with artists like New Order, FKA twigs, Aldous Harding, Leon Bridges and more.

If there’s a way to start and end a year, we think watching the talent you booked to play ABC’s New Year’s Eve special event would be the way to do it - that’s the impressive way Emily York has spent her NYE the last two years anyway. Since 2018, the Melbourne-based promoter has booked talent for the national broadcaster’s annual event, which included acts like Kate Miller-Heidke, Marlon Williams, Mojo Juju, Casey Donovan, Vika & Linda Bull, Phil Jamieson, Frente’s Angie Hart and Adrian Eagle for the 2019 event. 

It’s a great end to a great year for Penny Drop and York, who ran tours with Christine & The Queens, Maggie Rogers, Aldous Harding, Steve Lacy, Khruangbin and Yaeji throughout 2019, as well as setting up events for Mac DeMarco and New Order for early 2020. 

York also continued her run as programmer for the Melbourne Zoo’s Twilights event series - a role she’s held since 2013. The 2019 events included Briggs, Archie Roach, Sampa The Great, Cat Power, Rufus Wainwright, Aloe Blacc, Hanson, The Internet and more. The later half of 2019 saw York setting up the next series which included acts like Mavis Staples, Missy Higgins, The Cat Empire, Icehouse, Julia Jacklin, Confidence Man and more.

"There was an urgent need to raise funds for affected communities during this summer’s devastating bushfire crisis. With our friend Mac DeMarco on board, we conceived, produced and delivered an outdoor festival within a 72-hour timeframe (without breaking the law... I think). The event quickly sold out and we brought 5,500 well-behaved people and dogs to Victoria Park, raising over $210,000 for the Fire Relief Fund for First Nations Communities and Wildlife Victoria. It was a heartening show of Melbourne’s community spirit and I was overwhelmed by the generosity of the artists, chefs and crew who volunteered to make it happen. Although not technically in 2019, it was very early 2020 and one of my proudest achievements."