Today, music comes like water from a tap with over a million songs uploaded to streaming services every year.

In the 1960s, rock and pop music was the glue that bonded a global youth movement and it was once a shared experience, with listeners gathered around a home stereo system. Even the first Sony Walkmans in 1980 had two headphone jacks because the makers assumed people would continue to share their listening.

Music reviews are now increasingly the product of specialist magazines and websites, less so traditional news media. Do algorithms rule or can music writers inspire readers and listeners to support new music and the poetry within?

Panellists:

Alys Ffion (music writer and performer), Tony Wellington, Andrew Stafford, Eumundi School of Music Author and ABC Journalist Tony Wellington (author and photographer), Andrew Stafford (Journalist and Nonfiction Author), ALys Ffion (music writer and performer) Eumundi School of Music (ESOM) Host Sheridan Stewart, ABC journalist and author.

Panellists will be accompanied by Katie Noonan's Eumundi School of Music Foundation performers.

Andrew Stafford is a freelance journalist and the author of Pig City, a book about Brisbane, and Something to Believe In, a music memoir. In July 2007, Pig City was adapted into a major event by Queensland Music Festival, headlined by the first performance by the original line-up of the Saints in nearly 30 years. A 20th anniversary edition was released in 2024. His journalism appears in The Guardian, The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Griffith Review and anyone else willing to pay (except News Corp).

Tony Wellington is a writer, photographer and artist. His written works include Freak Out: How a Musical Revolution Rocked the World in the Sixties, Vinyl Dreams: How the 1970s Changed Music, and Mixtapes and MTV: Triumphs and Tragedies in 1980s Music, all published by Monash University Publishing. He has also authored Happy? Exploding Cultural Myths about Happiness and a history of Noosa's environmental movement titled Noosa and Cooloola. His nature photography books include Wild About Noosa and The Nature of Noosa. For many years Tony worked in the film and television industry, and he lectured film studies. He also worked as a visual artist and book illustrator. Tony holds a degree in Media Studies from Macquarie University and is a former mayor of Noosa Shire.

Alys Ffion emerges triumphant after overcoming a challenging hiatus from her artistic pursuits. The resilient songstress returns to the musical landscape as an independent artist for the first time in her career, ready to share her empowering story and poignant song writing with a richness like never before. Her debut body of work (produced by Jason Bovino of “Sheppard”), due for release late 2024, is a concept album that courageously details her experience of processing and overcoming trauma. The vulnerable, opening single "Alys" explores the idea of having a heart-wrenching yet healing conversation with her younger self, setting the tone for what's to come. Passionate about helping other artists to sing their truths too, Alys is celebrating success as a co-writer for other artists - penning radio hits and award winning songs for Taylor Moss, Jimmy Barnes, Andrew Swift, Nathan Cavaleri and more.

Eumundi School of Music Performers

Taylor Dee is a fourteen year old singer song writer living on the Sunshine Coast. Having grown up listening to music played at home, she developed a love of performing. Taylor has been singing and playing piano since the age of six but four years ago she began to put the two together and began performing at Circle of Sound Under 18 open mic nights. Initially Taylor began by performing covers but inspired by other young artists she began to write her own songs.

In 2023 she performed one of her original songs and won a series of recording sessions with local producer Christian Patey at Tiny House Records where she recorded her debut single ‘Take Me To The Country’ which was released in April last year.

Taylor Dee’s second song release ‘Fit In’ is also recorded by Christian Patey at Tiny House records with Jacob Turner playing on guitar. The song is about struggling with friend groups, the pressure that young people can feel sometimes to do things to fit in and how hard it can be today especially with social media. The message of the song is that it’s okay to not follow the crowd and to stay true to yourself.

Taylor Dee’s ‘Fit In’ single is due for release next month.

Ash Van Deen and Taylor Dee will perform as the panel discusses its way through the decades

Discover more about the Eumundi Writers Festival here: https://eumundiwritersfestival.com.au/