The sessions feature EMI artists Meg Mac, Middle Kids, Nat Dunn, Telenova, KIAN and more.
For the first time in SongHubs' 11 years, APRA AMCOS is handing over curatorial reigns to a record label, with EMI Music Australia bringing its roster of artists together with aspiring songwriters to produce release-ready songs as part of its SongHubs program.
The songwriting sessions are underway for four days (6-9 May 2024) across different Sydney studios, with EMI Australia assigning different working groups the task of writing and recording a finished song by close of business every day, culminating in a listening session on the last afternoon of the camp.
Most of EMI Music Australia’s roster are participating in the program, representing a diversity of genre and style that includes multi-platinum, chart-topping songstress Meg Mac, Billions Award winner Nat Dunn (Marshmellow & Anne-Marie’s ‘Friends’), indie-pop icons Middle Kids, multiple APRA Award-winning songwriter KIAN and rising R&B artist Jada Weazel.
Speaking of their participation, Mark Holland, MD of EMI Music Australia said, “The opportunity to partner alongside APRA with our artist roster, and the wider song-writing community, was a no-brainer from our side. It’s a truly invigorating time in Australian music and we want to help showcase the talents of Songhubs applicants by rallying behind the bespoke creative pairings that occur during the program.
“It’s also a great opportunity to collaborate with the Australian music community, and we’ve seen firsthand the potential from these writing camps, with EMI-signed artists Telenova originally forming from a 2019 Melbourne SongHubs,” added Mark.
Reminiscing on this experience, the Melbourne trio said, “There’s a beautiful sense of coming full circle on this one. We first began as three strangers in a room at SongHubs, so we owe our music career as a band to this very songwriting camp. It’s so exciting to go to the next level and be part of a camp alongside such high calibre artists on EMI’s roster and see where the magic takes us.”
The roster will also feature international stars Tom Jordan from Nasvhille-based Aussie duo Seaforth and New Zealand’s influential Ladyhawke.
APRA AMCOS participants were selected from a competitive pool of applicants, with current attendees including, New-Haven, Ciara Muscat, Beckah Amani and Finbar Stuart. Cloe Terare, whose impressive work was recognised at the NATSIMO’s Resonate songwriting sessions in 2023 will also be in attendance.
“We are so excited to work with EMI Music Australia on this SongHubs because they bring a real depth of local talent from their roster as well as an incredibly talented A&R team here in Australia. It is in their very capable hands to put together the songwriting sessions and get the most out of the four days for everyone involved,” said Adam Townsend, Director, Writer Services, APRA AMCOS.
"Our goal with this SongHubs and with more to come in the future is to not just provide the resources for the sessions, but to provide a runway for the songs to achieve commercial release and reach a wide audience,” added Adam.
EMI-signed artists are no strangers to SongHubs, with global pop superstar Troye Sivan writing a track from his debut EP at SongHubs early in his career, and later going on to curate Pride SongHubs in 2023.
Speaking of his experience during his ARIA’s acceptance speech, Troye said “Of all of the crazy stuff that has happened this year, I think one of the highlights of my year was, I did a SongHubs camp…I got to curate one and put one together and I got to see some of the unbelievable talent that we have in Australia.”
Other SongHubs alums include Middle Kids’ Hannah Joy, Nat Dunn and singer-songwriter Charley.
Since SongHubs launched in 2013, across more than 90 events worldwide, over A$4m in performance royalties for the initiative's collaborators has been earned. SongHubs has produced commercial releases for the likes of Briggs, Troye Sivan, Tayla Parx, Morgan Evans, Peking Duk, Tkay Maidza, Ainslie Wills, The Chainsmokers, Guy Sebastian, Ecca Vandal, Chaii and many more.
EMI MUSIC SONGHUBS PARTICIPANTS
EMI guests
Cat & Calmell
Charley
Drax Project
Jada Weazel
KIAN
Len20
Matthew Ifield
Meg Mac
Middle Kids
Nat Dunn
Telenova
International APRA AMCOS members:
Ladyhawke
Tom Jordan (Seaforth)
APRA AMCOS AU members
Beckah Amani
Ciara Muscat
Finbar Stuart
New-Haven
NATSIMO Resonate participant
Cloe Terare