“Andrea Kirwin has a rare voice that runs deep....deep enough to carry you back to an era where
the way an artist delivered their message
was everything.” - LIOR
"When I heard Andrea I was totally excited to hear such a competent, unique and exciting new songwriter. It is one of the joys of being a musician, traveling the globe and hearing exciting music that I wouldn’t have found at home, yet it is a rare joy. I find there are many competent yet mediocre musicians out there and Andrea was way above anything I had heard for a long long time." - KRISTINA OLSEN
ANDREA KIRWIN / ISLAND SOUL
Andrea Kirwin is an Australian-Fijian Singer-songwriter based on the Sunshine Coast,QLD, who has been performing at Folk Festivals since 2008 and has released 5 independent albums under her own record label, Peace Run Records. With a warm and welcoming stage presence, deeply soulful sound and a knack for storytelling, Andrea's live performances are a joy to experience. Whether solo with her guitar, cigar box and stomp or accompanied by her big 13 piece band, THE YAMA-NUI SOCIAL CLUB, Andrea has continued to impress audiences both in Australia and New Zealand with her heartfelt lyrics, incredible vocal range and diverse songwriting style for over 15 years.
With Influences such as Tracy Chapman, Carole King and Eva Cassidy, Andrea has crafted her own personal style which she describes as a blend of ' Fijian Folk and Island Soul'. At her live shows, Andrea will often share stories about her multicultural upbringing from growing up in Townsville as the daughter of a Fijian Church minister, to living in Fiji in her mother's village of Levukaidaku on the island of Matuku. Stories can also include dropping out of her Arts/Law degree at Australian National University and her journey to becoming a full time touring singer-songwriter. With every live show Andrea continues to forge her unique path within the Australian music industry as a self-managed, independent artist. She enjoys running her own record label, talent agency and events company, Peace Run Records, from Nambour on the Sunshine Coast and continues to advocate for live music and the need to bring music to regional communities across Australia and has started putting together independent regional tours with both national and international artists. You can visit www.andreakirwin.com for more information about Andrea's journey, her recorded music and upcoming shows.
ANDREA KIRWIN AND THE YAMA-NUI SOCIAL CLUB
Andrea Kirwin and the Yama-Nui Social Club are a 13 piece 'Island Soul' super band that hails from South East QLD. The band performs rich orchestral renderings of Australian/Fijian Artist Andrea's original songs from her 5 independent albums released under her record label Peace Run Records. With tight horn lines and beautiful string arrangements, AK & the YSC create a lush soundtrack to Andrea's soulful vocals and heartfelt lyrics about love, heartbreak and everything in between and you can feel the influences of Artists such as Carole King, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye and other legendary Folk/Soul bands of the 60s and 70s era. Andrea's songs are powerful and poignant, written from her perspective as an LGBTQIA+ Artist with Pacific roots and are about her life experiences. Her musical style is influenced by her upbringing as the daughter of a Fijian Preacher and Gospel harmonies are a feature in many of her songs. As an islander, Andrea has a natural prerogative to create music together as a collective and is evident in her enthusiasm to showcase the individual talents of the musicians within the Yama-Nui Social Club. There is always a good dose of improvisation in these big band shows allowing each player to shine and add their flavour to Andrea's songs. The name of the band is a nod to Andrea's favourite band 'Buena Vista Social Club' and her Yama-Nui Recording studio community. Her latest album 'Bloom', released in 2021 was nominated for Queensland Music Awards in the Folk and World Categories.
The musical line up of the Yama-Nui Social Club includes Dexter Hurren on Drums, Oj Newcomb on Bass, Brodie Graham on Electric guitar, Brett Orr on Keys, Angela Newcomb on back up vocals, Claire Evelynn on Celtic Harp, Tanja Hafenstein on Congas and percussion, Dyon Tahana on Alto Saxophone, Zac Hurren on Tenor Saxophone, Lee Hardisty on Tenor Saxophone and flute, Sarah King on Violin and Emma Hales on Cello.
Career Highlights so far
Booked to perform at Yackandandah Folk Festival 2024
Woodford Folk Festival Closing Ceremony Song composition and performance 2023/24
Programmed Sunny Coast Feature for the Woodford Folk Festival and Mc'd the daily showcase 2023/24
Performed as AK and the YSC at Caloundra Music Festival 2023
Facilitated 7 School Music workshops across 7 campuses for Tagai State Primary School in the Torres Strait Islands in March 2023
Attended Music Export Conference, Halifax Nova Scotia in Canada in February 2023
Recipient of Sunshine Coast Arts Foundation Grant of $1000 in February 2023 for Peace Run TV Pilot Episode
Queensland Music award judge for Blues and Roots Category 2023
Tracy Chapman Tribute show 9 date East Coast Tour Nov 2022
Attended Break Out West Music Conference in Calgary, Canada from 28 September, 2022
Performed at the National Folk Festival, April 2022
Current programmer for 'Nambour Forecourt Live' Live music community concerts 2022 & 2023
Current guest artist programmer for Caloundra Music Festival for 2022
Artistic Programmer for Rockhampton River Festival Main stage on Saturday 8 October
Two songs from 'Bloom' nominated as Finalists for the Folk and World categories in the 2022 Queensland Music Awards
Woodford Folk Festival Small Halls Tour of Regional QLD (Nov 2021)
QMusic Panelist for Connect Music Industry series (July-Aug 2021)
Represented Australia as part of the Global Music Match thanks to Sounds Australia (2021)
Emerging Curator role with Creative Arts Alliance and RASN network (2021)
Women in Music Mentorship Mentor for Apra Amcos (2021)
Winner of QMusic Award with Nyssa Ray for Children's song of the year (2021)
Sunshine Sounds Tour with Katie Noonan and Louise King (2020)
Ukulele Intensive Workshop facilitator, Woodford Folk Festival Bushtime Event (2020)
Opened up Peace Run Records shopfront in Nambour (September, 2020)
Carol Lloyd award finalist (2019)
Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues Festival (2018)
Sponsored by Cole Clark Guitars (2017)
Representing multicultural Artists from QLD at Big Sound QLD (2016)
4 songs from 'The Story of Us', highly commended in the Q Music Awards, (2016)
Regional Arts Development Fund recipient (2015)
Founded Independent record label Peace Run Records (2009)
Founded the Andi and George Band in 2007, managed and booked tours independently until 2009 and performed at Festivals across Australia including The Dreaming (Woodford), Woodford Folk Festival, Folk Rhythm and Life (VIC) and Womadelaide and many more.
FESTIVALS PERFORMED AT IN 2022
Woodford Folk Festival - Pop up shows at Cirque Bar QLD
Rangebow Festival QLD
Sunshine Sounds Festival QLD
Gympie Music Muster - Songwriters stage QLD
National Folk Festival ACT
Palm Creek Folk Festival QLD
FESTIVALS PERFORMED AT IN 2021
Festival of Small Halls, Woodford Folk Festival (QLD)
Caloundra Music Festival (QLD)
Live and Local Festival (QLD)
Regional Flavours Festival (QLD)
Festival of Water (QLD)
Noosa Eat and Drink Festival (QLD)
Melt Queer Festival (QLD)
Sunshine Sounds Festival (QLD)
Sunshine Coast Mardigras (QLD)
FESTIVALS PERFORMED AT IN 2020
Bushtime, Woodford Folk Festival (QLD)
Blooms and Tunes, Brisbane (QLD)
Bushtime, Woodford Folk Festival (QLD)
Toured regional QLD with Katie Noonan and Louise King October-November
FESTIVALS PERFORMED AT IN 2019
Noosa Food and Wine Festival (QLD)
Horizon Festival (QLD)
Space Girls (QLD)
Brisbane Festival (QLD)
Booin Gari (QLD)
Fibre Arts Festival (QLD)
Pride Festival Sunshine Coast (QLD)
Regional Flavours Festival (QLD)
Pomona Music Festival (QLD)
FESTIVALS PERFORMED AT IN 2018
Artisan Weekend Songwriting Facilitator, Woodford Folk Festival (QLD)
Noosa Food and Wine Festival (QLD)
Noosa Festival of Water (QLD)
Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues Festival (NZ)
Brisbane Festival (QLD)
FESTIVALS PERFORMED AT IN 2017
National Multicultural Festival (ACT)
Fairbridge Folk Festival (WA)
Wintermoon (QLD)
Palm Creek Folk Festival (QLD)
Echuca Winterblues Festival (VIC)
Sunshine Coast International Readers and Writers Festival (QLD)
Horizon Festival - Dawn awakening (QLD)
Caloundra Music Festival (QLD) *With Thump and Bearfoot
Island Vibe Festival (NSW)
And many more wonderful Folk Festivals over the years since her first open mic appearance at the 2007 Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival :)
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