DEEP LISTENING: Can Sound Rewire Your Mind? | Panel | ATTUNE Festival

It’s no secret that music can help with stress and anxiety. But could deep listening actually change the way we think and feel about ourselves? Does it have the power to help us process emotions, so that we can move forward in our lives in new light? Emerging science says yes.

In this panel, Founder of The Indigo Project Mary Hoang, producer Rich Lucano, and leading music psychology researcher Dr Amanda Krause unpack the groundbreaking findings of two separate studies they’ve embarked upon together over the course of seven years, exploring the psychological impact of guided sound journeys and deep listening.

Together with psychologist and moderator Dr Ash King (Support Act), they’ll explore how immersive listening practices can rewire patterns of thought, reduce self-stigma, and transform limiting self-beliefs such as “I’m not good enough”.

In an approach distinctly separate from Music Therapy, research shows that deep listening not only fosters greater self-compassion and forgiveness but can also unlock moments of catharsis, transcendence, and healing - and all that’s required is a set of headphones. 

Join us for a powerful conversation unpacking new understandings of the interplay between music, psychology, and neuroscience.

FREE WITH REGISTRATION
Presented by The Indigo Project

ATTUNE: A free digital festival.
Exploring progressive approaches to mental health through sound, somatics & ideas. See the full program here.

About Dr Amanda Krause

Dr Amanda Krause is a Senior Lecturer (Psychology) in the College of Healthcare Sciences at James Cook University (Queensland, Australia). She is also an Honorary Fellow at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and an Honorary Research Associate at the The Kids Institute. Her passion for researching the social and applied psychology of music has led her to give guest lectures and public talks, serve as Associate Editor for Psychology of Music, and serve as President of the Australian Music & Psychology Society.

She is the author of numerous peer-reviewed academic publications and has spoken on her research to academics and industry leaders at conferences around the world. Her research has made significant contributions to understanding how listening technologies influence people’s experiences and how musical engagement impacts well-being. Dr Krause’s current programs of research concern how everyday music and radio experiences influence people’s well-being.

About Mary Hoang
Mary Hoang is the founder of The Indigo Project and Attune Festival, a published author (Darkness Is Golden), and an experience designer working where sound, somatics, and psychology meet. Her practice centres on deep listening as a catalyst for catharsis and transformation. Across seven years, Mary’s Listen Up sound journeys have undergone formal study, culminating in two peer-reviewed research projects by the University of Melbourne and James Cook University, evidencing the emotional and wellbeing impacts of her approach.

Mary creates moving installations and immersive performances that invite audiences into liminal spaces—moments outside ordinary time—where release and renewal can occur. Her work has been commissioned and presented with and for the Sydney Opera House, Art Gallery of NSW, Vivid, and she has worked with Spotify, Facebook, Red Bull Academy, and Sony. An in-demand speaker and artist, Mary builds contemporary rites of passage that translate psychological insight into embodied, communal experiences.

About Rich Lucano
Rich Lucano is Director of Strategy at The Indigo Project and a composer for film. As Phondupe, his immersive sound occupies the space between ambient, experimental and electronica — layering hypnotic pacing and cinematic sonics into kaleidoscopic soundscapes.

Following the acclaimed TORSO (2024), a visceral album of meditative piano works, Phondupe returns in 2025 with Air Conditioning Vol. 2, a collection of long-form ambient compositions.

His recent live show debuted supporting electronic pioneers Tangerine Dream at City Recital Hall. Phondupe’s journey has taken him from the Sydney Opera House to Dimensions Festival (Croatia), with support slots for Jon Hopkins, Kiasmos, and Maribou State, and a 360-degree installation of his ambient piece AMA at Vivid Sydney 2023. 

About Dr Ash King

Dr Ash King is a registered psychologist and the Mental Health Lead at Support Act, Australia’s charity for music & creative industry workers. After a career-ending vocal injury shifted her from music to mental health, Ash now helps creatives and curious minds reconnect to meaning, manage their inner world, and tap into their creative potential. She’s worked across industries — from music to screen to radio — and believes insight and growth don’t have to be boring (or beige).