The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is thrilled to announce ARIA Collab, a hit-making new initiative designed to propel Australian talent to the global stage through exclusive, high-impact collaborations with internationally renowned music producers.
An ongoing series of immersive, week-long recording sessions in state-of-the-art studios, ARIA Collab will select five Australian artists per program to collaborate with some of the most innovative figures in modern music production, with the goal of creating and releasing export-ready, cross-border hits.
ARIA Collab will begin in Melbourne from 3 to 7 March next year, featuring groundbreaking producer WondaGurl, responsible for Rihanna’s Bitch Better Have My Money and Travis Scott’s Antidote.
Next, Collab will come to Sydney from 31 March to 4 April with Tommy Brown, the GRAMMY-nominated producer of hits like Arianna Grande’s 7 Rings and Thank U, Next.
The program has been made possible with support from Music Australia, ensuring equitable access for participating artists and teams.
Applications to participate are now open to ARIA members. Click to apply here.
Applications will be assessed by an expert panel on artistic merit, career trajectory, team structure, marketing potential, and commitment to diversity and inclusion. Successful artists will be notified on Monday, 17 February 2025.
ARIA CEO, Annabelle Herd, said: “We are so, so proud to start ARIA Collab in 2025. It is a rare and truly unique opportunity for Australian artists to collaborate with world-class producer artists on our own doorstep, creating music that resonates at home and far beyond our borders. More than creating hit records, this program is a major step toward better positioning Australia as a global music hub, bringing world-class artists to our shores to discover exactly how strong the talent in this country is, rather than waiting for that to occur overseas.
“In addition to collaborating with artists, the initiative will provide opportunities for local recording professionals including engineers and producers, fostering skill-building and professional connections. We’re committed to ensuring Australian music reaches its fullest potential in an increasingly globalised environment, this is another important step toward that goal. We can’t wait to hear the incredible results from this program.”
Music Australia Director, Millie Millgate, said: “Music Australia is committed to increasing the development of original music through investment in artistic creation. ARIA Collab provides a potent economies of scale initiative, that simultaneously supports ten Australian artists, their respective label, producer, and management team, along with local recording studios. With a primary focus on artist development, industry skills and export, the triple-threat ARIA Collab will deliver a new opportunity to grow the market for contemporary Australian music.”
Applications are now open here
ARIA Member Record labels are invited to submit artists for this transformative opportunity. Applications close at 5.00pm AEDT Friday, 31 January 2025 and must include:
ARIA will cover key production costs, including studio hire, mixing, mastering, and initial marketing efforts, ensuring the program is accessible to emerging talent.
For more information including what costs ARIA will and will not cover, FAQs, and to apply, visit https://www.aria.com.au
More about the Collaborators:
Tommy Brown also known as TBHits, is an American record producer, songwriter and entrepreneur from Pittsburgh, PA whose work spans multiple genres, including pop, R&B, hip-hop, and trap. He has scored multiple chart-topping albums while working with Ariana Grande on all six of her studio albums.
As an ASCAP-Award-winner and GRAMMY-nominated producer, he has produced and written tracks for established stars and new acts like Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, BTS, Selena Gomez, BLACKPINK, Juice Wrld, Chris Brown, Travis Scott, and more.
In 2018 Brown teamed up with industry titan Lucian Grainge and created his music label, Champagne Therapy Music Group under Universal Music Group. Brown also created a team of his own and launched his independent publishing company Champagne Therapy Music Publishing.
CTMG has had multiple Billboard Hot 100 records charted at #1, and has scored chart topping songs with Bad Bunny, Ariana Grande, Drake, The Weeknd, BTS, John Legend, and more.
WondaGurl is primarily known for her work in hip-hop, trap and soul. She is the 27-year-old Canadian multi-platinum, GRAMMY-nominated producer and record executive behind hits from the likes of Travis Scott, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Drake, Eminem, and more. She has accumulated over 10 billion streams and has been listed in Forbes’ 30 Under 30.
WondaGurl has worked with brands including Nike, Sprite, Beats by Dre, Red Bull and is truly one of the industry’s female trailblazers. She continues to dominate the production space and encourages young female producers to do the same.
In 2020, she also co-founded a publishing Joint Venture with Sony/ATV and Cactus Jack in 2020, which has amassed billions of streams and an array of platinum-accredited songs and albums.
For more information, please contact:
Andrew Knowles
M: 0449 510 357
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