AIR Presents A Free Artist Webinar on Tuesday 8th December

The Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR) is thrilled to announce their latest D.I.Y webinar.
Hear from esteemed Independent artists/label managers Ainslie Wills (Artist), Blaise Sherrie (I OH YOU), Jeremy Furze (Applejack Music/Half Mile Harvest Recordings), Leah Flanagan (Artist), Tasman Keith (Artist), and Tom Larnach-Jones (Milk! Records).The 1-hour panel discussion will give attendees the chance to gain insights from artists and labels on how to connect with audiences, manage your own releases and navigate a path towards expansion and growth.
AIR’s Artist DIY webinar is taking place on Tuesday 8^th December at 12noon (Melbourne time).

“Thanks to support from Creative Victoria, we look forward to presenting this webinar to provide knowledge and insights from industry experts” –  Maria Amato, AIR CEO

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ARTIST D.I.Y PANELLISTS:

Ainslie Wills (Artist)
Ainslie Wills has earned an enviable reputation for writing songs that are musically powerful and earnestly delivered. Combining her unfaltering vocals with profound lyricism and thought provoking melodies, Ainslie Wills sets out to create music that is genre bending, unique and personal.
With a captivating and commanding stage presence, Ainslie’s music has seen her tour both nationally and internationally, being invited to support the likes of Leon Bridges, Michael Kiwanuka, Hiatus Kaiyote, Lianne La Havas in addition to her own sold out headline shows in Australia and UK.  Crafting honestly told stories, Ainslie is gathering an army of lifelong converts.
Ainslie is a three-time APRA ‘Song of the Year’ nominee and two-time Australian Music Prize nominee. Ainslie has also been recognised by slots at Falls Festival, NYE on the Hill, Queenscliff Music Festival, WOMADelaide, Splendour in the Grass, BIGSOUND, Reeperbahn Festival, Paradiso and The Great Escape. Ainslie’s music has been picked up by Lauren Laverne and Guy Garvey (BBC6), as well as receiving high rotation on triple j for single Drive.

Blaise Sherrie (Mushroom Group)
Blaise Sherrie is a Label Manager within Mushroom Group, and oversees I OH YOU, Soothsayer, 100s + 1000s, and multi-Platinum selling group Bliss n Eso.
After beginning with Mushroom Group in 2014, her role quickly expanded to oversee I OH YOU, where she is responsible for project operations for critically acclaimed and awarding winning artists such as Violent Soho, DMA’S, DZ Deathrays and Jack River; Soothsayer, an electronic leaning label that is home to a stable of widely respected talent including Willaris. K, KUČKA and Love Deluxe; and 100s + 1000s, a boutique label that provides label services for artists across a wide range of genres.
Blaise credits her deep passion for music and genuine care for the careers of the talented artists she works with as a driving factor in her success.

Jeremy Furze (Applejack Music)
Jeremy Furze is owner of Applejack Music, an artist management company. He has worked in the music industry for 14 years including senior positions within record labels, venues, tour management, finance and publicity. He is a member of the Association of Artist Managers and a regular attendee at international conferences such as SXSW, Great Escape, Reeperbahn and BIGSOUND.
Over the past four years Jeremy has worked as a full-time artist manager with a roster that includes Little Quirks, Liz Stringer and Grammy-nominated, ARIA winning band The Teskey Brothers. He and his full-time assistant Al Parkinson work closely with several record labels across these projects.

Leah Flanagan (Artist)
Leah Flanagan’s third studio album, Colour by Number, sparkles with pop gems, shimmering like beads of condensation against cold glass on a sultry Darwin evening.
Produced by Sarah Belkner and recorded by Richard “Richie” Belkner at Free Energy Device Studios in Sydney, Colour By Number is an assured maiden outing into deeply personal terrain for Flanagan. The record glimmers with nods to Sade, Bic Runga and Norah Jones while leaning back into the assuredness of Flanagan’s characteristically unhurried, deft vocal delivery.
Flanagan draws from the communities of cultures which have bolstered her proud Italian, Indigenous (Alyawarre) and Irish heritage to present songs steeped in a maturity and knowing that cannot be feigned. She skilfully synthesises long-formed thoughts on belonging, identity and self-knowing with her deep connection to her art, set against Belker’s playful and confident pop-informed choices.
While her individual accomplishments are many, Flanagan’s musical career continues to be interwoven by rich collaboration with some of Australia’s most luminary writers and performers including Archie Roach, Shane Howard, the Mission Songs Project, Yothu Yindi, The Spirit of Churaki and Buried Country 1.5. She has also delivered a variety of works for major arts festivals including Leonard Bernstein’s Mass for the Adelaide Festival and her own work for stage, Midnight Muses, at the Adelaide Cabaret and Sydney Festivals. Flanagan’s song Speak Your Language was covered by singer-songwriter, Alice Skye for ABC Music’s Compilation Deadly Hearts #2.
Colour By Number is out now through Flanagan’s Darwin based, Indigenous owned and operated label Small Change Records.

Tasman Keith (Artist)
Hometown pride runs deep for 24-year-old rapper Tasman Keith, whose music is indebted to giving back to the community that raised him. From a small town on New South Wales’ mid-North Coast most commonly recognised for one of the country’s most notorious missions and most shameful history, the rapper is carrying on the storytelling traditions of his family, by writing a new chapter through music. From syrupy 90s West Coast synths, to neo-funk, skittering trap hi-hats and emotive R&B, his music defies categorisation, but his message remains hard to ignore.
2019 saw Keith capitalise on the attention his debut EP Mission Famous spawned, drawing praise from VICE, LNWY.CO, Pilerats and more, alongside rotation on triple j and Spotify’s All Aussie Hip Hop. Recent singles ‘BILLY BAD AGAIN’, ‘move up’ and ‘Prey’ featuring Darwin singer Stevie Jean, from their collaborative EP Evenings, made it three for three for Keith, scoring high rotation across triple j and Australian community radio. From here, Tasman graduated to larger stages around the country last year, with performances at Laneway Festival, Groovin’ The Moo, BIGSOUND and more.
The rapper is determined to use his platform as an unstoppable, undeniable voice for the voiceless with the release of his Mission Famous documentary, alongside profiles for VICE and Red Bull Music. Taking the social justice messages across his music to new heights, his commitment to shining a light on the collective achievements of his hometown is solidifying Tasman Keith as an indispensable leader of Australia’s new hip hop vanguard.

Tom Larnach-Jones (Milk! Records)
Tom Larnach-Jones has had a varied career in music; initially working at Shock Records in 1993 as an International Buyer, then in International Licensing before becoming Australian Label Manager. In 1997 Tom founded ARIA award winning independent label Trifekta Records. Releasing 60 titles over the course of 10 years, Trifekta was at times the home to Architecture in Helsinki, The Avalanches, The Go-Betweens, Art of Fighting and many more local and overseas favourites.
Tom has made a substantial contribution to live music; initially working as the Melbourne side-show coordinator for the Big Day Out. He went on to book at venues Revolver Upstairs, The Toff in Town, The Gasometer and The Croxton Bandroom. Tom has taught music business at AIM and Collarts as well as working in Writer Services at APRA AMCOS.
In early 2019 Tom took over the role of Label Manager from Jen Cloher at much loved Melbourne label Milk! Records. He also manages Melbourne artists June Jones & Art of Fighting and teaches the subject ‘Label’ at Melbourne Polytechnic as part of their Bachelor of Songwriting & Music Production.