Three Mentors From This Year's APRA AMCOS’ EQUALIZE Program Share Advice For Industry Newcomers

APRA AMCOS’s free, one-day workshops for women and gender-diverse musicians and producers, EQUALIZE, will return this October and November 2024 with eight events across all states and territories.

The events will allow participants to develop and hone their songwriting, production and live audio skills in a supportive, inclusive and open environment.

Skill development sessions will include Live Sound (how to set up and mic equipment for the stage and use live mixing desks), Music Production (the basics of production with Ableton), and Songwriting (learning compositional tips and methods from some of Australia's most skilled songwriters).

Each session will take place in small groups and be facilitated by women and gender-diverse experts in their fields, including BVT, Crystal Robins, Grace Barbe, Hannah Cameron, Natasha Newling, and more.

For more information and to register, visit apraamcos.com.au/equalize .

Three of this year’s mentors share the top three things they wish they knew when starting out in their careers:

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Hannah Cameron – mentor for the Melbourne event on Saturday, 26 October

1. Community is everything. Go to shows, play in bands, work with your friends, support your peers, surround yourself with people who make you feel good, believe in your music, and do the same for others.

2. Say yes to the thing that scares you. I've learned and grown the most from saying yes to opportunities that have pushed me outside my comfort zone. The more you say yes, the more you realise what you are capable of. Someone once said to me, "Say yes and figure it out later," and I think that was sound advice.

3. There is time. For the most part, things tend to happen in non-linear ways in this industry (and this life), so while it's great to have goals and make plans, I think it's good to remember that our songs and our musicianship only get better with time and age, so don't worry if it doesn't happen right away.

When I was in my early twenties, I attended one of Jen Cloher's "I Manage My Music" workshops, and one of the guests said something like ", Focus on the music being good and eventually, people will pay attention".

I remember feeling incredibly frustrated by this advice at the time because I wanted people to pay attention to my music now. But with the benefit of hindsight, I'm grateful that it didn't happen then because my music is better now. I feel more sure of myself and my creative process and better equipped to handle the ups and downs of this life/career.

Crystal Robins – mentor for the Darwin event on Saturday, 2 November

1. The hardest part about sharing your own music on stage for the first time is just taking that first big step! Try not to overthink it; just get yourself out there and do it.

2. Trust your instincts. If you feel something isn’t right in a situation, have the courage to walk away.

3. A career in music requires a lot of hard work and constant effort. Try to keep your focus on your craft and enjoy the journey day to day rather than worrying about what might happen in the future.

Grace Barbe – mentor for the Perth event on Saturday, 26 October

1. A better understanding of money and accounts. Getting that stuff right from the start is crucial for the sustainability of your business. Even if you have an accountant or someone doing your books, I think musicians should make it a priority to understand what is happening with their money. Financial literacy is a must!

2. Build your A-team! Without a great team that shares your vision, you will struggle. It doesn't need to be big, but find key players who can also juggle a few roles at a time so that frees you up to focus on your creativity.

I've been working with the same music, business partner and producer since the beginning, which has been great. I have a small team now that I wish I built back then.

Get a good accountant, someone who is great at marketing and/or admin if you don't have those skills, a kick-ass manager/booker who's got your back and your best interest at heart if self-managing is not your thing. Self-managing is a lot of work and creates burnout if you're not careful. Find the right people and keep them close.

3. I can claim a lot more tax expenses than I thought! These include computers, musical instruments and materials, clothes for the stage, makeup, spaces used for work, petrol, professional development, music insurance, and music education and training.

I wasn't aware of all this when I started out, as I had other things to worry about. You can save a lot as a musician, especially when expenses are so high.

Female and gender-diverse* music industry up-and-comers are encouraged to apply to the EQUALIZE program via apraamcos.com.au/equalize.