SongHubs gets started in São Paulo
APRA AMCOS and its Brazilian counterpart UBC (Brazilian Union of Composers), in partnership with Sounds Australia, have commenced the first-ever SongHubs songwriting residency in South America.
The 12th and final SongHubs for the year began Sunday (December 9) in São Paulo with APRA AMCOS members travelling to the region to collaborate with and foster professional opportunities with some of Brazil’s notable writers and producers.
Over the course of an intensive three-day session at Dudu Borges Studios, Sounds Australia export music producer Glenn Dickie will serve as the SongHubs Brazil curator, assigning creative teams to work together on writing and recording a new song each day.
APRA AMCOS writers and producers selected to participate are Birdz, Jess Cornelius (pka Teeth & Tongue), Lila Gold, Chela and Mitch Kenny; as well as Alexander Biggs, Nic McKensie and Nick Weaver of Deep Sea Arcade, and Joel Byrne of Wolf & Cub, who all performed as part of the Sounds Australia Aussie BBQ at São Paulo’s SIM convention.
They will be working with local talent including frequent Gilberto Gil collaborator Celso Fonseca, singer/songwriter Samille Joker (Ja Rule and Ricky Martin), and production team Los Brasileros, who have an exclusive creative deal with Universal Music Brasil.
“We’re in for something very special during our three days of SongHubs in São Paulo,” said Dickie, who has curated previous SongHubs in Mumbai, Berlin, Toronto and London.
“Sounds Australia, along with APRA AMCOS, has been laying the groundwork for more export opportunities in South America, and it feels like that is culminating now in the best way possible – by bringing Australian songwriters together with some of Brazil’s top producers, writers and artists to collaborate on new works.”
The São Paulo sessions will be the 56th SongHubs in the program’s five years, with residencies so far taking place throughout Australia and New Zealand as well as international locations including Los Angeles, Nashville, London, Berlin, Singapore, and Toronto.
Outcomes include 700 new works created, 143 commercial releases, over A$1.5 million in songwriting royalties for the collaborators, and invaluable creative and business connections for APRA AMCOS members.