News March 26, 2019

San Mei lands US booking deal after SXSW success [EXCLUSIVE]

Gold Coast indie-pop artist San Mei is about to spend a whole lot more time on global stages.

Following a mammoth run of nine shows in six days at SXSW earlier this month – which saw her perform to some of the industry’s biggest global players – TIO can exclusively reveal San Mei has landed representation with US-based United Talent Agency.

San Mei (real name Emily Hamilton) is in good company on the UTA roster. As one of the world’s biggest agencies with offices in New York, LA, London, Nashville and Sweden, UTA represents a heavy-hitting list of artists including Paramore, Amanda Palmer and Cypress Hill.

The roster UTA also includes fellow Aussies Hilltop Hoods, Cub Sport, Holy Holy, Running Touch and Sarah Blasko.

Speaking of the agreement, San Mei told TIO:

“Playing music in the USA has always been an important goal for me, and to be able to work with an agency like UTA is a dream come true.

“To be amongst some incredible new artists like Sigrid, K. Flay and Tove Styrke that I admire so much, as well as iconic artists I grew up listening to, is a huge honour and I can’t wait for the opportunities that lie ahead.”

The agreement follows the international success of San Mei’s single ‘Heaven’. A collaboration with producer Oscar Dawson (Holy Holy, Ali Barter, Alex Lahey), ‘Heaven’ hit high-rotation on triple j, and achieved a debut spin on Radio X. ‘Heaven’ also featured in BBC Radio‘s Next Wave with Jack Saunders.