2021 Women in Music Mentorships

Expands to 21 songwriters in its fourth year

Fazerdaze, BVT, Rachael Lia, Tanya Ransom among the mentees

Mentors include John Watson, Adalita, Liz Stringer, Mia Dyson and many more

Twenty-one songwriters have been selected for APRA AMCOS' Women in Music Mentorship program, an initiative now in its fourth year that aims to support women-identifying, non-binary, and gender non-conforming music creators by providing professional guidance for a project underway, as well as funding assistance.

Spanning a range of genres, specialties and career stages, the 2021 class of mentees includes NZ artist/producer Fazerdaze, pop/soul/R&B artist Ashli, Filipinx-Australian theatre maker and producer Jules Orcullo, up-and-coming First Nations singer-songwriter Rachael Lia, Berlin-based singer-songwriter Sarah Bird and more.

“In a rapidly evolving era for the music industry, with the pandemic, the rise of platforms like Tik Tok and Twitch, I'm looking for guidance on how to approach this new stage we're all performing on.

"For a long time I've felt like I'm standing at a crossroads with a suitcase full of music and no map, and I think specifically having a female mentor to help me navigate the next stage in my career will be life changing,” said Melbourne indie-pop artist SANNIA, who will be mentored by artist manager Jess Beston.

"It was important for the Women in Music Mentorship program to grow this year and provide more APRA AMCOS members, including those living and working overseas, with the opportunity to receive guidance from key industry professional and creatives.

"Our emphasis with the mentoring program is on pairing the mentee with someone who has the expertise to help them with their current project and who can share practical advice on navigating the music industry, especially during such a challenging time for artists," said Milly Petriella, Director Member Relations.

In 2017, APRA AMCOS released research that identified the pathways and barriers for women working in music. This led to a commitment to provide support to women and non-binary music creators through the development of programs to effect immediate and sustainable gender participation and equitable financial success.

The mentorship program is a key component of the commitment, and since 2018 has supported the careers of Demi Louise, Annie Hamilton, Lucy Sugerman, Eliza Hull and others.