Killing Heidi’s Jesse Hooper nominated for place on APRA Board

Jesse Hooper, co-founding member of Killing Heidi and one half of The Verses with sister Ella, has been nominated as a representative Writer Director on this year's APRA board.

The four-time ARIA-award-winning songwriter and performer has toured with Placebo, Fleetwood Mac, Counting Crows and INXS but most recently he’s been working at music college Collarts in Melbourne, overseeing songwriting and performance streams.

Hooper is also an active participant in community cultural development work. In 2013 he set up a portable recording studio Timor-Leste for the region’s musicians, and that same year he set up a Pozible campaign to raise money for the artists in the music program he’s been running for the past five years atJesuit Social Services'The Artful Dodgers Studiosin Melbourne.

“The studios use songwriting, performance and production to engage some of the most disadvantaged young people across Victoria, including many refugee and asylum seeker musicians,” Hooper said in a statement today.

“[…] This work offers me the unique opportunity to nurture the next wave of musicians and songwriters in a progressive education context. The students’ creativity and writing talent constantly inspires me, and I am privileged to be in a position to share my experience in this way.

“I am confident that I can draw upon my professional song writing, performing, community arts practice and my education roles to help bring a unique perspective to the APRA board.”

Hooper took to The Verses'Facebookyesterday afternoon to announce his nomination and to encourage APRA members to vote for him.

Speaking to his nomination, Hooper said he understands the importance of advocating for writers and performers at all levels of the industry.

“APRA plays a vital role in supporting the domestic talent we have here in Australia and in taking our music to the world.”

APRA is yet to publicly release the other Writer Director nominees up for a spot on the Board.

APRA AMCOS has emailed members who are eligible to vote in the Board Elections with full details.