LISTEN are one of the most important tentpoles of Australian music at the moment. LISTEN exists to support, promote and distribute music created by Australian female and LGBTQIA+ artists, creating representation for the often under-represented communities in the industry. LISTEN was launched in 2014 with the aim of addressing gender imbalances within the Australian music community, by creating the foundations for broader discussion, and championing opportunities for women, and LGBTQIA+ artists. For the artistic landscape of the Australian music scene to continually diversify, it is vitally important for institutions like LISTEN to exist, as it provides a necessary platform for those who may not have one. There is a sexism problem in our music scene, and as a result it is so important for something like LISTEN to exist, in order to counteract this trend.
In their own words, “LISTEN exists to spark and cultivate a conversation from a feminist perspective around the experiences of marginalised people in Australian music. LISTEN events are safe spaces to showcase and celebrate the talents of our diverse female and LGBTQIA+ communities.”
The ever expanding back-catalogue of LISTEN Records, the organisation’s label arm, contains a vast and varied roster of artists, with everything from the synth-punk of Stina Tester and Cinta Masters, to the outsider pop stylings of Biscotti. Their roster is utterly impeccable, and each release they’ve dropped has been as forward thinking and engaging as the last. Luckily for those of us in Melbourne, LISTEN have taken over one of Melbourne’s best venues, The Gasometer Hotel in Collingwood every Tuesday in January, offering a new line up of awesome music each week, for only $10. The LISTEN Records label have curated the 24th of January with an impressive selection from their roster, including Simona Castricum and Hi-Tec Emotions, whilst the other dates have been curated by LISTEN’s Ali Duguid.
Check out the dates and performing artists below.
