Level up: SKNOW and Sunny Luwe discuss NATSIMO x SAE University College scholarships
We recently caught up with SKNOW and Sunny Luwe, who both completed their fully-funded NATSIMO x SAE University College Scholarships last year.
Worth a combined $60,000, the scholarships supported their studies at SAE’s Melbourne and Byron Bay campuses.
We caught up to hear how the experience has shaped their creative practice, strengthened their technical skills and opened new possibilities for their careers.
SKNOW
SKNOW at RESONATE 2026. Photo: Cassidy Cloupet
What has been the most transformative part of your learning journey?
Gaining clarity around the different roles within the music industry, including producers, technicians, engineers and songwriters, has helped me better advocate for myself and my work. It also reinforced the importance of working with integrity in a powerful medium like music.
It was deadly to realise I had my own tech team, too. Taking ideas to the tech desk in Naarm was genuinely helpful, so shout out to them. I’m grateful for the support of NATSIMO, APRA AMCOS and SAE.
Which new skills have made the biggest difference?
Understanding audio engineering principles such as frequency behaviour, phase, signal flow, patching, monitoring and live sound systems has changed how I listen and record. It has also made me more confident in my decisions, both in the studio and in live environments.
True artistry exists beyond rules and expectations. Balancing that freedom with technical knowledge is ongoing work, but it will ultimately expand my craft. Level up!
Did you uncover any unexpected creative strengths?
Assignments became a canvas for both my technical understanding and creativity. I expanded into 3D animation, illustration and storytelling, and discovered how much I appreciate teamwork.
For one assignment, I created an illustrated audio engineer’s handbook that brought together academic learning, Indigenous perspectives and visual language. It received a High Distinction, and I’m now considering making it available as a community resource.
What inspires you when you’re creating?
Soul, spirit, Country, animals, family and the strength of deadly, staunch women across generations. My work comes from truth and truth-telling.
I continue to transmute grief and loss into music, carrying deep love for my fallen brothers, Antman and DJ Wasabi. It is hard to do this work without them, but I pursue my practice in their honour.
What advice would you give an aspiring producer?
Honour where you come from. That’s where the strongest stories are made. Find a mentor, work with what you have and stay open. Rigid attitudes don’t last in collaborative environments, but openness creates limitless possibilities.
Sunny Luwe
Sunny Luwe at RESONATE Country 2026. Photo: Gling Hunt
What has been the most transformative part of your studies?
I loved being back in a formal, structured learning environment. I thrive with accountability and a good teacher, and I learned from some wonderful teachers.
This might sound nerdy, but I even loved writing reports and refining them into their best possible form. It reminded me of grant writing, only with more music and visuals. It was really fun.
Which skills have had the biggest impact on your practice?
I learned about studio recording, live sound engineering, working across different DAWs, business planning and creative practice.
Live sound engineering has helped me communicate what I want more effectively in my own shows. Taking a deep dive into the career of my idol, Dolly Parton, also gave me more clarity about how to pursue my current creative ambitions.
Has the course taken your music in a new direction?
Funnily enough, it has drawn me towards a more organic, grounded sound. I want to go country and perform either acoustically or with my full live band.
It’s exciting to pivot the project, move in a new direction and keep learning and growing.
Did you discover any new creative interests?
Recording live drums rules! It was so much fun.
My partner is a talented musician and producer, so I’ve also had great support at home. I’ve started engineering for him during recording sessions, and I’m really enjoying it.
How has the experience changed your perspective on your career?
It reinforced that I’ll be a lifelong learner. Continuing to learn, doing your best and staying humble is pretty magical.
I’m excited to continue developing my production skills, particularly from a representation perspective. Women are massively underrepresented in music production, and First Nations women even more so. I hope to see more programs supporting diverse people to gain skills and qualifications in this space. Representation rocks.
What is your advice for aspiring producers?
Practise, practise, practise. Keep putting in the hours and aim for small, one per cent improvements every time.
That idea is known as kaizen, and it’s a pretty awesome approach to apply to every part of life.
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Speaking of levelling up, there are a whole lot of opportunities currently open to Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander music creators:
- $10,000 Professional Development Awards – Hurry, closes 9 October!
- EQUALIZE songwriting and audio production workshops, taking place nationwide in October (in collaboration with SAE University College and more)
- Broader music industry funding, opportunities and grants
