Several current and past QUT Faculty of Creative Industries music students are stand-out contenders for making the influential and much-anticipated Triple J Hottest 100 songs for 2015.
Leading the charge is third year student and Indie artist Ayla Scanlan who has three nominated tracks on the Hottest 100 shortlist including When the Worlds Ends which was one of Triple J’s most played songs in 2015.
“The Triple J Hottest 100 is a major event on the music calendar and the Australia Day countdown has become an annual institution since the poll began in 1989,” said Professor Phil Graham, head of QUT’s Creative Industries Music and Sound.
“Ayla, who is a VC Scholarship recipient, is certainly making an impact on the Australian music scene. She released her debut single Wish I Was when she was in her first year at QUT and it was an international sensation.
“More recently she won the $10,000 Billy Thorpe Scholarship at the 2015 Queensland Music Awards and her star is certainly on the rise.
“Making the Triple J Hottest 100 has a lot of kudos attached to it and Ayla will be following in the footsteps of others with a QUT connection if she makes the final list. Ball Park Music, a band formed at QUT and whose front man Sam Cromack has been teaching here, took out three spots in the 2014 list.
“I want to wish Ayla all the best in cracking the Hottest 100 and also the other amazingly talented musicians with a QUT connection who are in contention; including Feki, Joe Saxby (Indie pop performer These Guy), dream pop group Yuuca, and atmospheric alt-rock band Malo Zima.
“Their achievements speak volumes about what QUT’s Creative Industries offers dedicated musicians and other artists. They also inspire fellow and future students by showing real world success is possible.”
Sunshine Coast-based Ayla said studying music at QUT had given her the edge in a highly competitive industry.
"Studying at QUT has helped develop my knowledge in live sound, music theory and music production. Being able to employ music production skills when creating my own demos is a very helpful tool," she said.
'Wish I Was'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13sSK8mk-aU
'Waiting'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXfjVIpKnAQ
Media contact:
Amanda Weaver, QUT Media, 07 3138 1841, amanda.weaver@qut.edu.au
After hours: Rose Trapnell, 0407 585 901, media@qut.edu.au
