AMIN is excited to share the winners of the Festival of Voices, One Eye on the Stranger (OEOTS) mentorship and residency program with Kram (Spiderbait).
Established in 2015 by the minds behind Tasmania’s Festival of Voices (FoV), OEOTS pairs an iconic Australian musician with a handful of emerging artists for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop their craft during an exclusive songwriting and mentorship program.
With the support of APRA/AMCOS, AMIN, and state/territory peak music bodies, the program ran a nationwide submissions process for the first time, selecting one lucky musician from each state or territory.
In addition to the opportunity of working with Kram, the successful participants will receives an all expenses paid trip to Hobart, including return flights, exclusive accommodation retreat and food provisions on Bruny Island, wilderness boat tour courtesy of Pennicott Wilderness Journeys, and a live performance showcase with Kram at the closing night of VOICEBOX, the Festival’s hub.
The winners were selected from over 150 applications from across Australia, and personally hand-picked by Kram, who “…can’t wait to start work[ing] with them on Bruny Island.”
Tasmania – Mary Shannon
Queensland – Leanne Tennant
Leanne Tennant is a recent winner at the QLD Music Awards, with multiple nominations. Her live performances are receiving praise from the Courier Mail, themusic.com.au, and audiences throughout Australia. Leanne has just completed her National RED WINE, LATE NIGHTS album tour, which included sell-out shows and festival appearances at BIGSOUND, Sydney Blues & Roots and Red Deer Festival.
Victoria – Rhea Caldwell
Beginning as a solo project for Melbourne’s Rhea Caldwell, Baby Blue has since grown into a rocking, rollicking four-piece combining 60’s rock, folk, and pop. Their first single, ‘Soccer Ball’, is just a taste of their already outstanding catalog, known well by the audiences who’ve followed their live shows. With an EP slated for MAY and already picking up heat from The Age, Tone Deaf, local blogs and community radio.
NSW – Julia Wylie
Western Australia – Vanessa Hopes
Since 2013, Perth-born musician Vanessa Hopes has written and produced her debut album ‘Free’. This past year Vanessa has gone from featuring on Beni Bjah’s award winning album ‘Survivor’ to scoring an award-winning film, to releasing three music videos and launching her debut album ‘Free’.
South Australia – Alex Rajkowski
Playing in bands since he was 16, Alex’s music career has taken him across Australia, to the US and the UK. Alex was a guitarist/songwriter in Adelaide Indie Pop band The Shiny Brights, who found success being unearthed by Triple J, receiving regular airplay and playing the Big Day Out, Southbound and Parklife festivals. Since the break up of The Shiny Brights, Alex has been the main songwriter behind Adelaide garage rock band Battlehounds, who have supported Harts, Bad//Dreems, Magic Bones, Hunters and Collectors, Baby Animals and The Peep Tempel.
Northern Territory – David Crowe
The 2017 Festival Of Voices runs from 30 June – 16 July. For information on the Voicebox performance and other Festival events www.festivalofvoices.com