Meet the Mentees! Our next group of Music Industry Mentoring participants
Meet the next cohort
Music Industry Mentoring is a structured workplace learning program for young people in the early stages of their music career.
With support from The Ian Potter Foundation, over the next three years The Push will give 60 young people the opportunity to be placed and mentored in some of Australia’s biggest music companies to develop skills, confidence and networks across a range of streams including event management, technical production, business operations and marketing and promotions.
Since commencing in 2023, The Push has received more than 900 applications from young people across Australia applying to be involved in the program. For our next round, seven young people were selected to participate in workplace learning opportunities with APRA AMCOS, Live Nation, Mellen and Moshtix.
Applications for the next round of Music Industry Mentoring will open in September. Make sure to register your interest and be amongst the first to apply for the next round.
Andie Seisun
Mentoring Opportunity: Live Nation, Event Management (Venues) – Melbourne
Pronouns: They/Them
Age: 23
Who are you currently listening to?
On my current playlist are new albums from two of my favourite bands Rainbow Kitten Surprise and Twenty One Pilots. I have been recently very interested in songs from a Maltese artist AIDAN as I love hearing my language. As well as Australian artists who dream.
First live gig?
My first was at 19 going to NF at The Forum.
What are you currently doing in music?
I currently work in live sound as an audio and lights technician at The 86 – a cabaret and drag bar.
What are you looking forward to about the Music Industry Mentoring program?
Networking with other upcoming Australia artists and people in my industry.
Building my skills in the music and entertainment industry to hopefully set me up for a full time career.
Ezra Kendrick
Mentoring Opportunity: APRA/AMCOS, Business Operations & Event Management – Brisbane
Pronouns: She/Her
Age: 20
Who are you currently listening to?
Angie McMahon, Blusher, Maggie Rogers, SOHPIE. Hyper-pop or folk – there is no in between.
First live gig?
I saw local Brisbane artist Yb. in Brisbane a couple weeks after I moved to the city for Uni. I was 19.
What are you currently doing in music?
Currently studying music at University and trying to grow confidence as an artist. Collaborating with other musicians as a songwriter and volunteering at as many community music events as I can in Brisbane.
What are you looking forward to about the Music Industry Mentoring program?
Learning the ins-and-outs of running a business as part of the music industry. Meeting new people and networking as well as learning what it takes to organise projects and events for amazing Aussie artists!
Isaiah Quintana
Mentoring Opportunity: Mellen Events, Event Management – Perth
Pronouns: He/Him
Age: 24
Who are you currently listening to?
Lately I’ve been loving a bit of Olivia Dean, KAYTRANADA, Grievous Bodily Calm, Miss Kaninna, and Emma Volard.
First live gig?
Bit of a weird one, the first gig I can remember is watching Thomas Lang and Virgil Donati perform in Perth when I was 17. Two insane drummers improvising together for an hour straight. It blew my little mind!
What are you currently doing in music?
I currently play as much drums as I can around Perth, do some volunteer work with Hyper Festival, work with Suzette Collective as an assistant, and manage my two bands Coco Elise & Ricky Neil Jr.
What are you looking forward to about the Music Industry Mentoring program?
Getting involved with the behind-the-scenes of the massive King's Park shows and working closely with my mentor Gawain will be awesome, I'm also super excited to get to know my fellow interstate mentees :)
Jess Hickey
Mentoring Opportunity: Moshtix, Event Management – Sydney
Pronouns: She/Her
Age: 20
Who are you currently listening to?
I'm a bit all over the place but either Elevation Worship, Julia Michales, Masie Peters, MAY-A, Hey Lenny, Sabrina Carpenter, The Band Camino or 5SOS!
First live gig?
Shawn Mendes in 2017 I think at Qudos Bank Arena
What are you currently doing in music?
I am currently studying a Bachelor of Music and Performing Arts. Looking for experience and connecting with artist through songwriting and performing Live! I am the Lead singer of the band Dads Diary and also looking to pursue some more solo stuff as well!
What are you looking forward to about the Music Industry Mentoring program?
I love meeting new people in the industry and working alongside these professionals is so exciting. When it comes to organising these important events around Australia, I have a huge passion for providing Live Music to everyone and anyone – and I get to experience this through this opportunity.
Jorja Moon
Mentoring Opportunity: Fuzzy Events, Event Management - Sydney
Pronouns: She/Her
Age: 24
Who are you currently listening to?
That’s a hard question because my playlists are all over the place. I love bands like Ocean Grove, Thornhill, Hockey Dad, Joji, Maneskin, Peach Pit, Fontaines D.C. and Teenage Dads which I have all seen live. I’ve also been listening to Royal Otis and The Last Dinner Party a lot recently.
I like the classics and I also enjoy listening to older artists. I’m always trying to discover new upcoming bands and artists and I’m always listening to different genres.
First live gig?
Apart from going to my dad’s shows, my first live concert was Cold Chisel when I was 11 years old.
What are you currently doing in music?
Being in a lower income area, and because of the increasing cost of living, I had sacrificed my dreams of study to work. I finally left my hospitality job after 3 years to pursue study to help me gain more experience in the industry. I’ve done a cert 3 in event management through TAFE during COVID, which meant that I wasn’t able to go to music festivals as I’d hoped for experience.
I currently have an obsession with collecting band merch, like shirts, vinyls, cassettes and have also bought myself a boombox.
This year I’ve picked up a couple of cool casual jobs revolving around the music industry. I am employed to help set up and pack down stages at large venues around Sydney, so I’ve gotten experience seeing how some big shows that have happened this year are set up, which is very awesome. I sell merchandise, I do RSA marshalling shifts, and I’ve also just gotten my security license too. And I work as an Axe Coach, although that is unrelated to music, but it’s still very exciting for me.
What are you looking forward to about the Music Industry Mentoring program?
I’m excited to gain heaps of experience, make lots of connections, and meet other likeminded individuals who are passionate about the Australian music scene. Music connects so many different people together and it’s great to be a part of something so positive. It has been a dream of mine to do something like this and I still can’t believe I was chosen to have this opportunity, I am very thankful.
Katrina Nguyen
Mentoring Opportunity: Live Nation, Business Operations (VIP Teams) – Melbourne
Pronouns: She/Her
Age: 22
Who are you currently listening to?
Some local artists I've been listening to are Belair Lip Bombs, Garage Sale and These New South Whales. International artists I've gotten into lately are Fontaines DC, King Krule, Khruangbin and Adrianne Lenker.
First live gig?
Imagine Dragons at Margaret Court Arena when I was 13.
What are you currently doing in music?
Many different things! I go to weekly gigs to support local bands, work as bar staff at music festivals, and have also been volunteering with FReeZA to organise gigs at the Espy and around Prahran.
What are you looking forward to about the Music Industry Mentoring program?
I'm most looking forward to learning how different roles and departments work together to organise national touring for massive artists like Coldplay. I'm also really excited to meet and connect with industry mentors that have in-depth experience in event and tour management. Most importantly, I want to connect with other like-minded live music lovers. I am so excited to work with the team at Live Nation!
Marcke De Vera
Mentoring Opportunity: Live Nation, Business Operations (Sponsorships) – Sydney
Pronouns: He/Him
Age: 23
Who are you currently listening to?
I have recently been listening to a lot of Billie Eilish and Gracie Abrams since they recently dropped their new albums. Also, some of my other favourite artists include Morgan Wallen and Noah Kahan.
First live gig?
Taylor Swift's 1989 World Tour in 2015 – a night I will never forget!
What are you currently doing in music?
I am currently in the last semester of my Bachelor of Commerce at The University of Sydney and will be interning at a record label as part of workplace learning throughout the semester. I grew up playing the violin and oboe so the occasional jam session with my siblings who are also musicians is always something that I enjoy as well!
What are you looking forward to about the Music Industry Mentoring program?
The music industry is so vast and dynamic. Getting to see what goes on behind the scenes will be an insightful experience to help me determine how the industry functions and where I want to have a career within the industry. The opportunity to work with likeminded individuals who also share this passion for music will help start my professional network and allow me to learn from the best. I have gone to several concerts put on by Live Nation throughout the years so to work from the internal side will be rewarding.
Want to join this group of legends? Make sure you’re amongst it for the next round!
Applications for the next round will open soon, so be sure you’re ready and be amongst the first to know when applications open. Join the list by registering your interest here.
The Music Industry Mentoring Program is delivered with support from The Ian Potter Foundation - one of Australia’s major philanthropic foundations, delivering grants to support charitable organisations working to benefit the community.