The Power 50: Regan Lethbridge

Regan Lethbridge was the guitarist for New Zealand-formed, Melbourne-based band Bonjah for 10 years. In June 2014, Lethbridge and co-founder David Morgan officially announced the launch of Lemon Tree Music, while Lethbridge was still working as a booking agent with 123 Agency. Initial clients included Pierce Brothers, Daniel Lee Kendall and Jack Stirling, with the roster now including Tash Sultana, Maddy Jane and more. Lethbridge and Morgan announced their label Lemon Tree Records, in conjunction with Sony Music Entertainment, in February 2018.

Lethbridge certainly achieved a lot in 2019. In May, it was announced that Lethbridge had co-founded Lonely Lands Agency alongside Tash Sultana and UNIFIED’s Jaddan Comerford. The booking agency’s roster now includes Ziggy Alberts, Ocean Alley, Pierce Brothers, CLEWS, West Thebarton and more. Lethbridge continued his role as co-manager for Sultana too (alongside Comerford), seeing the artist through one of their biggest years to date which included selling out a show at Colorado's iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

Signings for the year included Georgia Mae (label) and Garrett Kato (management) but there was one signing that defined 2019 more than any other for Lethbridge and Lemon Tree Music: Tones & I. In March, it was announced that Lemon Tree had inked a co-management deal with the then Byron Bay-based artist (Tones & I - real name Toni Watson - also continues to be co-managed by Artists Only founder Jackson Walkden-Brown).

“The Lemon Tree team are incredibly excited to work with Tones & I globally,” said Lethbridge at the time. And globally they did; by the end of the year, Tones & I’s track Dance Monkey had hit #1 in over 30 countries. The track became a record-breaker in Australia too, with Watson securing the title for the longest-running consecutive and non-consecutive #1 track on the ARIA Singles Chart, beating artists like The Beatles, ABBA and Ed Sheeran. In less than 12 months, Watson had picked up four ARIA Awards (including Best Pop Release), performed at the AFL Grand Final, and was on her way to having the most-streamed song ever by a female artist on Spotify.

Lethbridge wrapped up the year by helping organise the Down To Earth event, which was announced in early January 2020 and took place that February, raising over $1M for bushfire and climate relief.

“Watching Tash sell out Red Rocks was mind blowing as I booked some of her first tiny club shows. Co-managing Tones & I and seeing what she has done globally is something I will never forget and it's an honour to be a cog in that machine. I just love working with great people and most importantly artists who devote their lives to their art is something I never take for granted. Finally working along with my business partner David Morgan and co-managers Jaddan Comerford, Dave Toethuis and Jackson Walkden-Brown, plus the wider team, makes the whole thing a true joy. We are nothing without a team and amazing artists as it all starts and ends with their songs."