The ever-inventive APRA AMCOS has ensured its songwriting programs for Australian and New Zealand artists will still go ahead amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The music industry calendar staple SongHubs: The Tower commenced yesterday to bring acts like Guy Sebastian, Kimbra, Fergus James, Ilan Kidron (from ARIA winners The Potbelleez) and Louis Schoorl (5SOS, Girls' Generation) together for four days of virtual collaboration.

Kimbra

Taking place between 21-24 April, top songwriters and producers are logging on from home studios around the world for The Virtual Tower.

The online studio set-up was created by SongHubs consultant and Grammy Award winner François Tétaz (Gotye) and is being led by curator Donna Caseine, LA-based Executive Vice President of Creative at Reservoir Media, whose roster includes Ali Tamposi, The Orphanage and more.

The task hasn't changed though. Participants are assigned to groups of three each morning and tasked to complete a song by day’s end. After the final session on April 24, a 'virtual' listening party will take place for everyone to show off their creations.

Along with songwriters like Isabella Kearney-Nurse – who just had her 2018 SongHubs LA co-write ‘Conditions' featured on the US TV show Songland, APRA AMCOS has invited a few star players into the mix.

Joining Guy Sebastian and Kimbra for The Virtual Tower is Post Malone collaborator Azul Wynter from LA, Amsterdam-based Thom Bridges (Yellow Claw, Offset) and LA-based singer-songwriter Ricky Manning (Lennon Stella, Carlie Hanson).

Isabella Kearney-Nurse

Milly Petriella, APRA AMCOS Director Member Relations, said:

“It would have been wrong to cancel or even postpone SongHubs: The Tower because creating new music is so necessary right now. Our aim is to ensure members can collaborate across time zones and not miss out on the invaluable opportunity to work and connect with some of the biggest producers and writers in contemporary music."

SongHubs brings in big money to the local economy. Since its launch in 2013, over $2 million in performance royalties for the initiative's collaborators has been earned. SongHubs-produced commercial releases include singles from Briggs, Troye Sivan, Morgan Evans, Dean Lewis, Client Liaison, Peking Duk, Tkay Maidza, The Chainsmokers, Guy Sebastian, and many more.

SONGHUBS: THE VIRTUAL TOWER PARTICIPANTS

Curator Donna Caseine

APRA AMCOS special guests DNA Guy Sebastian Louis Schoorl

International guests Azul Wynter Ricky Manning Thom Bridges

APRA AMCOS participants Cat & Calmell Cyrus Villanueva Drew Southwell Dylan Nash Fergus James Ilan Kidron Isabella Kearney-Nurse James Angus JANEVA Jordie Ireland Kimbra Lachlan Bostock (Mansionair) MAYAH Michael Fatkin Monte Morgan (Client Liaison) Robby De Sa San Joseph Vetta Borne