The Power 50: Nicole Richards

Nicole Richards began her music career at EMI Music Australia before leaving her role as Head Of PR, Publicity and Artist Relations to co-found Original Matters Marketing & PR in 2007, working with artists such as Angus & Julia Stone, Adele and The Dandy Warhols among others. In 2010, Richards launched Pod Artist Services; a management, marketing and media business with clients including Matt Corby & Julia Stone. In 2012 she was approached by Universal Music and took on the role of Director PR - Australian Artists. In 2014, her role expanded to Senior Director - Marketing & PR for Australian Artists, before being promoted to Head Of Australian Artists in 2016. In March 2018, Richards was promoted to the newly created role of Head Of Island Records.

It was an impressive year for Richards and the label - one that was honoured handsomely with a record 21 ARIA Award nominations for the label, resulting in four wins. Aus hip hop pioneers Hilltop Hoods also proved once again why they belong at the top. The Adelaide trio dropped their eighth studio album The Great Expanse in February, debuting at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart and making them just the third act in ARIA Chart history to have five straight #1 albums (they now share the title with Powderfinger and Silverchair). That same week the trio supported US rapper Eminem on his Australian tour - his first since 2014 - which broke the MCG live concert attendance record. Soon after the group would kick off their own world tour, complete with their biggest ever Australian shows. In July, Hilltop Hoods jumped in for a headline set at Splendour In The Grass following Chance The Rapper’s last-minute cancellation (for their eighth appearance at the festival) and in September the group were acknowledged for officially selling over one million albums in Australia. November saw the group add another ARIA to their collection for Best Australian Live Act. Their track Exit Sign feat Illy and Ecca Vandal came in at #10 on the 2019 triple j Hottest 100 - their 20th track to make the annual countdown. 

Matt Corby took out the prestigious Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition with co-writer Dann Hume for Miracle Love, while Boy & Bear made a triumphant return with their top ten album Suck On Light after a four-year hiatus due to illness. Vera Blue once again collaborated with Flume on his track Rushing Back - it came in at #2 on the 2019 Hottest 100 - while Tame Impala headlined Coachella and prepared for the release of 2020's The Slow Rush.

Of course, there was the mammoth success of Dean Lewis. The debut album for Lewis, A Place We Knew, dropped in late March, landing at #1 on the ARIA Album Charts on release. The same week saw four of his tracks on the ARIA Singles Chart. By December, the Island Records signee had scored himself both the Album Of The Year and Best Male Artist accolades at the ARIA Awards, two APRA Awards, picked up a #1 on the Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart with Be Alright, racked up over one billion streams for the track, was remixed by Timbaland and performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. 

Both the year and decade finished strong with appearances from Island Artists on the ARIA End Of Decade Australian Singles and Albums Charts - singles by Lewis (Be Alright) and Corby (Brother) appearing at #7 and #8 respectively. Hilltop Hoods took two places in the top 10 with albums Walking Under Stars at #9 and Drinking From The Sun at #10.

“2019 was another exciting and successful year for Island Australia with so many highlights, including #1 albums from Hilltop Hoods and Dean Lewis, Matt Corby’s Miracle Love winning the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition, Vera Blue gracing global stages with Flume and of course, having 21 nominations for Island Australia Artists at the 2019 ARIA awards with Hilltop Hoods winning Best Live and Dean Lewis winning Best Male Artist and Album Of The Year.”