General News
7 June, 2024
SongHub selection for local talent
EMERGING Warrnambool musician Michael Honan was named as one of just five Victorians selected for this week’s Melbourne to Nashville SongHubs program.
The talented singer-songwriter was named among the small group of five artists selected for the program, which ran from June 3-5 in Nashville.
The camp provided an opportunity for them all to work with acclaimed country artists and producers in Nashville.
The group also had the opportunity to build connections with career-breaking industry leaders in the world’s biggest country music market.
Speaking from Nashville on the eve of the final day of the program, Honan said he was absolute thrilled to have been given the opportunity to take part.
“This has been an absolutely crazy ride and I’m loving every minute of it,” Honan said.
“This is my first time out of the country and to be in Nashville, mixing with some of the biggest and the best in the country music industry, is just mind blowing.
“It’s been full-on, with writing sessions all day and very minimal breaks but it’s amazing. These opportunities are extremely rare so I’m extremely fortunate and soaking up everything I can.”
Honan believes he was drawn to country music as a youngster, even developing somewhat of an American singing accent.
“I guess my accent has developed from listening to and singing so many American country songs over the years,” he said.
“Dad was more into ‘dad rock’like ACDC and Jimmy Barnes but mum was a country music fan.
“As I moved into adulthood I found myself relating to the stories told through country music; simple songs telling great stories.”
Alongside Honan in Nashville was fellow Victorians Andrew Swift (ARIA and CMAA Golden Guitar Award winner), Gumbaynggir/Bundjalung indie pop artist Jem Cassar-Daley, APRA Songwriter of the Year Ella Hooper and soul/pop/folk artist Benny Morrell.
The five were among 12 artists who participated in a SongHubs song writing camp on the Mornington Peninsula in March this year.
The camp was led by Australian-born Nashville-based country hit maker, Lindsay Rimes.
At the end of the program, Rimes hand-picked the five standout artists to take their talents to Nashville during the world’s biggest country music festival, CMA Fest.
The international market for country music is growing and Victorian musicians are poised to take on the world.
The latest Country Music Association of Australia census found that five of the top 10 postcodes for country music songwriters were in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
Recent Spotify data reports that Australia has the third-largest country music market in the world after the US and Canada, and is the world’s fastest-growing country music market.
The Melbourne to Nashville SongHubs program is run by APRA AMCOS and supported through the state government’s Music Works program.
Music Works will continue to back Victorian artists and music industry workers, with $1 million in the 2024/25 Victorian Budget.
“The global market for country music is huge and growing and the government is proud to back our home-grown artists to propel their careers on the world stage,” Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks said.
Honan plans to stay in Nashville for a fortnight or so before returning to Warrnambool where he plans to “bring home momentum” and spend as much time as possible song writing.
He currently has a gig booked in Port Fairy late August and will no doubt continue to further his career in the music industry – with his ultimate goal to be signed with a major record company.
