Eight South Australian artists, industry talents land Robert Stigwood Fellowships

The third career-developing Robert Stigwood Fellowships have announced eight South Australian talents for 2017-18.

The Artist Fellows are:

• Heaps Good Friends, purveyors of “peanut brittle pop with text-message lyrics” who formed when Nick O’Connor recorded Emma Fradd’s first demo in the K-wing of SA’s old Gladstone Gaol. Their single ’Let’s Hug Longer’ got triple j spins.
• The soulful electronic pop of Electric Fields is based around singer Zaachariaha Fielding and producer Michael Ross. Their music – conveyed in English and Fielding’s traditional language of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara people – found success in China, Edinburgh and the U.S.
• Lonelyspeck is Adelaide producer Sione Teumohenga whose EP Lave from earlier this year showed off theirbrand of experimentalelectronica.
• Alt-country finger picker and singer songwriter Tom West best known for his single ’All My Friends Are Scientists’.
• Six-piece indie folk group The Winter Gypsy followed their Page 1 EP with the current single’Bojke’, written about the death of their bassist’s pet dog.

The Industry Fellows are:

• Sundial Productions (Emma Coyle and Joel Byrne), an independent film production and distribution company.
• Sharni Honor, founder of the Porch Sessions live music series – from verandas to shopfronts and cellars – and the annual Porchland festival.
• Alex Karatassa of 5/4 Entertainment which encompasses management (Tkay Maidza, City Calm Down), venue bookers and runs club nights as Transmission and Taking Back Saturday.

The chosen eight will receive tailored funding and mentorship from high level industry professionals, song writing, production, marketing and publicity, development of business skills and attendance at conferences, including high level industry meetings.

“The career development the artists and industry fellows gain from the program means they have doors opened for them here in South Australia, avoiding the need for them to leave the State to pursue their careers,” said Arts South Australia Executive DirectorPeter Louca.

“This boosts our homegrown talent base, which in turn is good for the local sector.”

Arts SA notes that former recipients went on to land recording and management deals, headlining tours, radio airplay, showcases at the UK’s The Great Escape and collaborations with Grammy-winning producers.

“What makes these fellowships so effective is the tailored and specific nature of the support and development each recipient receives,” Louca said.

Born in SA, Robert Stigwood moved to London in the 1960s where he managed the Bee Gees andCream (and almost The Beatles), film productions including Saturday Night Fever and theatre productions such as Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar.