Features April 5, 2023

JMC Academy’s RE:Write Conference Is a Songwriter’s Dream

BOB GORDON

Jen Cloher

Image: Marcelle Bradbeer

It’s set to be songwriting central once again when the JMC Academy hosts its annual RE:Write annual songwriting conference at the Naarm, South Melbourne campus on Friday, April 14th-Saturday, April 15th.

In recent years RE:Write has established itself as a must-attend event for musicians who wish to build upon their knowledge and skills to find new pathways into the industry of songwriting. Creative, collaborative and technical avenues are explored, encouraging songwriters to hone and even reimagine their craft.

RE:Write will feature a diverse range of specialised masterclasses, panels and interactive discussions, with facilitation and presentation by a dynamic key speaker line-up featuring Jen Cloher, Nina Las Vegas, DRMINGNOW, James O’Brien (Darling James) and Angeline and Joshua from Telenova, covering a wide range of wisdom and expertise.

Acclaimed songwriter Jen Cloher has released five albums and has won a J Award (Double J Artist of The Year 2017), an AIR Award (Best Independent Artist 2018), an Australian Women in Music Award (Music Leadership Award 2018) as well as receiving nominations for the ARIAs and the Australian Music Prize. Their recently released fifth album, I Am The River, The River Is Me, ponders the ideal that “that home is not found in a place or a politic, but in the community you keep.”

Nina Las Vegas spent a decade in broadcast radio as a host and programmer on triple j, including a long stint as host of House Party from 2009-14, before starting her own label, NLV Records in 2015. She has since issued releases by artists such as Kota Banks, Swick, Ninajirachi Strict Face, Air Max ’97, Lewis Cancut, Hi Tom, UNIIQU3 as well as her own music. A powerful female force in both the Australian and international dance landscape, Nina is respected by artists and audiences alike.

Angeline Armstrong and Joshua Moriarty (along with Edward Quinn) make up Telenova. The trio met at an APRA Songhubs songwriting camp from which their first single “Bones” emerged, whereupon it became a cult hit coming in at #91 in triple j’s Hottest 100 2021. They’ve released two EPs, 2021’s Tranquilizer and last year’s Stained Glass, gaining worldwide media attention from BBC Radio 1, Apple Music One, NME and Vogue Paris. They’ve just released a new single, “Lost In The Rush” which will be supported by a regional Australian tour during April-June.

DRMNGNOW aka Neil Morris, is a Yorta Yorta artist, MC, instrumentalist and poet who was announced as the 2021 Best Hip Hop Act at the Music Victoria Awards. He has emerged as an important artist both on the hip hop scene and in his community, working towards the elevation of indigenous peoples in society.

Darling James aka Melbourne-based singer/songwriter James O’Brien, first rose through the ranks touring the world with seminal Brisbane/Melbourne indie outfit The Boat People before working with Machine Translations, Kate Miller-Heidke and many more. Since 2016 he has released multiple EPs and tracks songs under the Darling James moniker, touring nationally with a live line-up. He has music directed three events for the Melbourne Fringe Festival Club and one for Malthouse Theatre, and is a Senior Lecturer in the music department at JMC Academy, Melbourne, specialising in songwriting and music theory.⁠

A gathering place for both aspiring and established songwriters and supported by Music Victoria, APRA/AMCOS and The City of Port Philip, RE:Write will also include live performances from some of Melbourne’s best up-and-comer songwriters. Get set for a backstage pass into the minds of some of the most influential voices within the industry.