FELIVAND ANNOUNCES SIGNING TO SWEAT IT OUT, UNIFIED MUSIC GROUP & NICHE PRODUCTIONS

Brisbane/Meanjin-based singer, songwriter and producer, FELIVAND, today shares her new single “Where Were You”. Joining the single and video release arrives the leap from being independent to now part of a global team, as FELIVAND joins Sweat It Out (label), UNIFIED Music Group (management), and Niche Productions (booking agent).

Co-produced by Chris Mazuera (Jessica Domingo, Nafets, Habe) and mixed by Tristan Hoogland (Joji, James Blake, Flume), “Where Were You” is a soul-driven piece of empathy; a sorely welcome hug that consoles, restores and uplifts in equal measures, filling you with the comforting knowledge that someone out there has also been through it and that they too know what it’s like. A softly lapping back beat, amid shimmers of mellow guitar provide a vibrant and warm backing for FELIVAND’s honey-hued vocals. FELIVAND’s silky words grow more fervent with repetition, rising in intensity while harmonising vocal stacks, resonant bass, melancholic chords and layers of texture surround.

FELIVAND nourishes her adroit capacity for writing about the nuances of interpersonal relationships and how they can act as a mirror for our own internal self-understanding in “Where Were You”. She says on the release: “I wrote ‘Where Were You’ after realising someone wasn’t there for me in a way I thought they would be. I felt let down and forgotten and this song is a pretty raw and impassioned outlet of that feeling.”

As her first single of 2021, the neo-soul/indie-pop artist provides an accompanying music video directed by Jennifer Embelton, revealing the depth of range and form that FELIVAND so boldly embodies.

On the video, Embelton adds: “The video explores these themes of isolation through visual storytelling. We see her in everyday scenes that inch into the realm of the surreal. Her environment and people don’t seem to realise she is there, but FELIVAND is determined to tell her story anyway.”

“Where Were You” marks a new chapter for FELIVAND, as she announces a number of new signings. Of her signing to Sweat It Out, UNIFIED Music Group & Niche Productions, she remarks that “It’s such a nice feeling to have a team of people who actively champion you and trust wholeheartedly in your creative decisions. I’m extremely excited to be starting this new chapter in my career with such a passionate team backing me. I was self-managed for a number of years, so signing with my manager was honestly one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. So much work goes on behind the scenes that you wouldn’t think of, it’s such an important and special working relationship that I really cherish”. 

“Where Were You” follows FELIVAND’s 2020 sophomore EP Nerve, a bewitching, seamless slide into slinkier, darker shades of pop for her soul-tinged music that was hailed as “sublime” by COLORS, “an intoxicating blend of bedroom pop and neo-soul” from Bandcamp and “stunning in every regard” via Lyrical Lemonade. Scoring triple j support, community radio love and triple j Unearthed’s Feature Artist, Nerve marked a maturation of FELIVAND’s sound, a unique brand of organic, textural neo-soul and woozy, wistful bedroom pop influenced by the likes of James Blake, Solange and Kali Uchis. It came after a debut EP In Bloom that boasts more than 12 million combined streams.

Coming up, FELIVAND will take to the stage for a headline show in her hometown of Brisbane/Meanjin. Performing at Black Bear Lodge on November 19, audiences will be among the first to witness “Where Were You” in the live domain, alongside beloved singles from Nerve and Bloom. Later this year and into 2022, she will support Mallrat during her Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast dates.

FELIVAND, now making her debut with a new team behind her, expands upon the lyrical honesty she has long cultivated. Embedding hints of dissonance below its luxurious veneer, “Where Were You” today carves out the rare emotional space that FELIVAND’s wonderfully tactile music inhabits. Make sure to soak up every second of it today.

“WHERE WERE YOU” IS OUT NOW VIA SWEAT IT OUT
WATCH HERE
BUY/STREAM HERE

FELIVAND
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

TEEN JESUS AND THE JEAN TEASERS SIGN TO DOMESTIC LA LA + JOIN UNIFIED ARTIST MANAGEMENT ROSTER

Rising Australian punk stars Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers have officially revealed their knockout new single ‘AHHHH!’ today after its premiere via triple j’s Home & Hosed last night. Today’s release also comes alongside the announcement of a new label home and management partnership for the band.

The band have signed to Domestic La La (home to the likes of Dear Seattle, West Thebarton and LOSER), and joined the fold at UNIFIED Artist Management under the guidance of some of its  most experienced managers, Ash Hills (Client Liaison, Stellie) and Sarah McMillan (Slowly Slowly, WAAX, Mo’Ju, Congrats).

Together Teen Jesus, (comprising vocalist Anna Ryan, guitarist/vocalist Scarlett McKahey, bassist Jaida Stephenson and drummer Neve van Boxsel) bring Riot Grrrl-era energy, edginess and attitude, with an equally loveable and endearing relatability. It’s this can’t-be-faked demeanour and a knack for knockout songwriting that caught the attention of Domestic La La and continues to see the band’s brood of followers balloon.

“‘AHHHH!’ is loosely about navigating a relationship with someone you have known for a long time but their character changes,” says Ryan. “You find yourself making excuses for them and forgiving them when the answer is clear that sometimes you just need to ditch and move the heck on!”

Straddling punk, rock, pop and garage influence, the release of ‘AHHHH!’ finds Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers solidifying their status as Australia’s must-watch in the field of punk-rock.

About Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers:
Channelling Riot Grrrl-era energy with a 2021 spin, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasersare the most natural, unapologetic and damn likeable punk-rockers you’ll meet.

Formed during high school in their hometown of Canberra, Teen Jesus burst onto the scene in 2019 and quickly snapped attention for their teenage ragamuffin image and searingly good garage punk sound. The group cut their teeth playing festivals including BIGSOUND, Groovin’ The Moo, Laneway, Falls, Lost Paradise & Spilt Milk, supporting a slew of Australia’s finest including Polish Club, Alex Lahey, Press Club, WAAX & more, while impressing with a sprinkle of standout single releases.

As of 2021, the band have graduated into an astute group of 20 year-olds – just as concerned about issues facing today’s women and young people as they are with their loud, badass and completely cool punk sound.

Freshly signed to Domestic La La, the band now reveal their latest single, ‘AHHHH!’, about standing your ground and frankly – not putting up with people’s bullshit.

This candid and upfront approach continues into every area of the Teen Jesus world. Scarlett comments: “We just want to be loud. We’re obviously into the punk side of things and speaking our mind, so it’s not “pop” fun, I’d say it’s more “angry” fun,” adding: “… at the end of the day, at the live shows we just want to allow everyone a space to have a really fun time and be themselves.”

Ultimately Teen Jesus describe wanting to be as reachable to their growing brood of fans as possible. Whether through a concerted effort to remove the invisible “barrier” between performer and punter, making themselves available for hangs and friendship after a gig, or keeping their lyrics wide open for listener’s own interpretations, this foursome is about being unapologetically themselves, and inviting everyone to do the same.

This is not to mention their hilarious lockdown-induced must-watch Teen Jesus TVseries, cracking the band’s loveable clumsiness and endearing realness wide open once and for all. Watching TJ TV no doubt leaves you with the same feeling you’d get if you were to catch the girls at their show or bump into them down at the pub.

Empowered by their youth, punk roots and a swag of inspiring influences around them (see Anna’s ex-front woman mum and Scarlett’s band manager mum, an all-female management team and a new mentor and friend in DLL/Violent Soho’s James Tidswell), Teen Jesus are real as shit girls, and they’re going somewhere.

Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers Is:
Anna Ryan (vocals)
Scarlett McKahey (guitar/vocals)
Jaida Stephenson (bass)
Neve van Boxsel (drums)

DEAR SEATTLE MARK HUGE RETURN WITH NEW SINGLE ‘IN MY HEAD’ + ANNOUNCE AUSTRALIAN HEADLINE TOUR

Back with their first taste of new music since 2019’s acclaimed Don’t Let Go album, one of Australia’s favourite modern rock acts – Dear Seattle – are back with new single ‘In My Head’. After premiering via triple j‘s Good Nights yesterday, today’s official release comes alongside the announce of a long-awaited Dear Seattle headline tour, before the band premiere the ‘In My Head’ music video this Friday June 11 via Youtube at 4pm AEST.

Glowing yet melancholic in sound, Dear Seattle vocalist/guitarist Brae Fisher shares that ‘In My Head’ describes the familiar feeling of being stuck in your own head while trying to connect with others.

“It’s been a minute, but we’re so damn excited to be back with new music! ‘In My Head’ is about stepping back into your regular life after a period of withdrawn reflection, walking around like a spectator to your own life. There’s a thin barrier of disconnection as you try to adjust and settle back into everyday interactions, which is just enough to make you notice the true absurdity of monotonous small talk and forced conversations,” he says.

“It’s a more nuanced and mature direction for us but still keeps the classic Dear Seattle sound with an emotionally charged singalong chorus and introspective verses, so it  felt like the perfect song for us to return with. We can’t wait to get back out there and play some this song and our other new tunes for you live.”
STREAM THE NEW SINGLE ‘IN MY HEAD’ NOW:
https://dearseattle.lnk.to/inmyhead
Following recent appearances supporting Dune Rats on their national tour, playing Summer Sounds in Adelaide earlier in the year and appearing at Next Exit Festival (Ocean Alley, Spacey Jane + more) last month, Dear Seattle are finally appeasing the masses with the announce of their national single tour. For the first time since selling out all shows on their 2019 Australian headliner, the band will head around the country next month with support from Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers. Full dates and ticket details below.

‘IN MY HEAD’ MUSIC VIDEO
PREMIERES THIS FRI JUNE 11 AT 4PM AEST VIA DEAR SEATTLE’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
About Dear Seattle:
After snapping heads with their 2017 self-titled EP, (spawning tours with the likes of Tired Lion, Balance And Composure, Hockey Dad and Trophy Eyes, and festival slots on Groovin’ The Moo, UNIFY, Festival Of The Sun and Party In The Paddock), Dear Seattle asserted themselves as one of Australia’s most exciting young rock acts with the release of their 2019 debut full-length Don’t Let Go.

Exploring the stress and challenge of being a full-time musician, anxiety (‘Bigger Than My Brain’), self-doubt (‘Daytime TV’), reckless living (‘Homegrown’), the fake nature of the music industry (‘Try’) and perhaps most searingly, the death of vocalist/guitarist/lyricist Brae’s father (‘I Keep Dreaming’), Don’t Let Go packed in poetic lyricism and plainspoken Australian storytelling, all peppered with an endearing dose of self-deprecation.

Offering a depth and dimension not too often found in their genre, Dear Seattle captured industry and audience hearts alike upon the album’s release in February 2019. Don’t Let Go garnered praise from the likes of Pilerats (“stellar”), The Music, (“hard not to fall in love with”), New Noise (“an immaculate effort”) and more, saw the band invited to play triple j’s lauded Like A Version segment, copped a nomination for Best Rock/Punk Album at the 2020 AIR Awards and spawned a huge headline Australian tour to celebrate. To date the record has also amassed over 7.5 million streams.

Now with a few years and some more life behind them, plus a renewed focus to write completely for themselves, Dear Seattle return with ‘In My Head’ before looking to release more new music soon.

WAAX SIGN TO UNIFIED ARTIST MANAGEMENT

UNIFIED Artist Management is pleased to welcome Brisbane rock quintet WAAX to the fold as its latest management client. On coming under the guidance of UNIFIED’s Sarah McMillan – who also handles the careers of acts such as Slowly Slowly, Congrats & Mo’Ju – WAAX’s Maz DeVita says:

“We’re super excited to be working with Sarah and the team at UNIFIED! Our label introduced us to Sarah during the height of the COVID lockdown and I knew straight away that she would be the best fit for us, guiding us through such an extremely rough time for the music industry. We’re super excited for the next chapter with Sarah by our side!”

WAAX made waves with their breakout 2019 album Big Grief, featuring heavily on the nation’s airwaves and winning hearts on stages across the country.  From supporting the likes of Wolf Alice, Fall Out Boy and Biffy Clyro, to making sizable waves on the festival circuit at the likes of Splendour In The Grass, Falls, Good Things and UNIFY early in their career, WAAX cemented their footing as Australian indie rock favourites.

Amid a turbulent 2020 the band still took on triple j’s acclaimed Like A Versionsegment and collaborated with Illy on the track ‘Cheap Seats’. This July WAAX are set to support none other than The Amity Affliction on their national tour, meanwhile the group are writing towards new music before the year is out.

On joining the WAAX team in 2021, manager Sarah McMillan shares: “Starting this relationship with WAAX was one of my biggest personal highlights of 2020. I have been a big fan since their ‘Wild & Week’ EP was released. I attended shows and festivals to see this band and they never disappointed. Maz DeVita is also a bloody Aussie icon for woman in music. I am stoked to be on the team and I hope to serve their already growing community with new music and magical moments like I felt when I was in the audience.”
Image: WAAX & UNIFIED Artist Manager Sarah McMillan (second from right)
UNIFIED Artist Management recently expanded into the world of entertainment management, bringing acclaimed Australian podcast Funny Business into the fold.

Meanwhile in 2020 the group added the likes of NZ heroes Shihad and Australian rock trio Short Stack to its management roster, and the beginning of 2021 also saw a management signing with Mornington-born pop rising star Matilda Pearl.

Inspired by classic pop icons, Kylie Minogue, Madonna as well as disco staple Jamiroquai, Pearl fuses her angelic vocals with vibrant dance-pop productions into inspiring earworms including last week’s ‘Linger’.

UNIFIED MUSIC GROUP EXPAND MANAGEMENT DIVISION, WELCOME ‘FUNNY BUSINESS’ PODCAST

UNIFIED Music Group is pleased to welcome the Funny Business podcast to the family as its newest management client. UNIFIED founding CEO Jaddan Comerford & rising Australian manager Dan Nascimento (Ocean Alley, Jack Botts) will manage Funny Business, a rapidly rising business/entrepreneurship & performance podcast launched out of lockdown. 

Formed by Torquay-based best mates Rob Hicks & Lachlan Bradford in April 2020, Funny Business has climbed to a near 100 full episodes and over 50,000 lifetime downloads in less than a year. On track to hit a huge 10K listens for the month of March alone, the podcast has become known for its relatability and humour and diverse range of guests and in-depth discussions.

Dan Nascimento comments on the inspiring traction driving Funny Business and the bustling community hub Rob & Lach have built around them, adding:

“I’m first and foremost a massive fan of the guys and everything they do with the podcast and across all of their creative ventures. It’s an absolute pleasure to have the opportunity to work with them and be apart of their journey.” 

Meanwhile Jaddan shares on meeting the Funny Business crew and on the UNIFIED vision to expand beyond music management:

“I literally met Lach and Rob on LinkedIn and instantly fell in love with Funny Business and everything they’re about. Inspiring people to take chances with their careers, and allowing a platform for people to learn and express themselves, is something we all needed during COVID and I know I’ll need for the rest of my time. It’s an honour to be working with the boys and I’m thrilled to be able to bring a new type of talent into the UNIFIED family.”

On partnering with UNIFIED, Rob & Lach share that they are excited to see Funny Business taking part in the new wave of Podcasting in Australia, adding:

“We’ve said from day one that we wanted to treat ourselves like business rockstars and business athletes, so to partner with UNIFIED Music Group who have built some of Australia’s biggest acts feels like the perfect place for us to push the boundaries of what people expect to see from a podcast.”

Alongside officially joining the UNIFIED family today, Funny Business are proud to announce a solidified brand deal with non-alcoholic beer heroes Heaps Normal.

Meanwhile, its debut live event – shifted to IG Live and Clubhouse at the eleventh hour due to Victoria’s snap lockdown last month – has now been rescheduled to Saturday May 15.

Going down at 170 Russell, Funny Business Live will feature a panel of special guests including Erika Geraerts (Fluff skincare brand founder), Alex Zaccaria (AKA the brains behind Bolster & Linktree) and more to be announced. Offering a unique pod-meets-stage set up on the night, limited remaining tickets are available now through Moshtix.

About Funny Business:
Unpacking everything from the start up grind and personal performance to leadership, EQ and community, Funny Business already claims high profile personalities including comedian Urzila Carlson, pastry king Adriano Zumbo, health guru Laura Henshaw, Violent Soho’s James Tidswell and sports legends including Mark Mathews, Paul Roos & Sir John Kirwan as guests.In its debut year, Funny Business found themselves featured via the likes of Urban List, Forte Magazine, The Geelong Advertiser, Today and more, and saw hosts Rob & Lach quit their day jobs and launch the Funny Business umbrella company called Wellbeings Group.Across favoured platforms including Instagram, Slack, LinkedIn & Clubhouse, Funny Business’ reach continues to grow as business and industry minds connect to their ballooning socials community.

Stay up to date on all things Funny Business and check out the new episode with Mitch from Ocean Alley.