Country music singer Briana Dinsdale expands career opportunities
- 9 Oct 2023
A 3-track release is helping to achieve success in Australia’s country music scene
What
Logan-based country music artist Briana Dinsdale created and released three original songs spanning country rock, country blues and country pop.
To record the three tracks, Briana worked with ARIA nominated recording producer and engineer Louise Wheatley from Wheatley Street Productions, based in Logan.
This collaboration with Ms Wheatley follows on from Briana’s successful debut album “beginnings”, released in 2021 and supported through Arts Queensland’s Regional Arts Development Fund, on which Ms Wheatley produced, mixed, engineered and mastered 12 tracks.
In 2022, Briana was awarded the Silver International Young Adult Artist of the Year by the International Singer-Songwriters Association for ‘beginnings’.
Briana’s three new singles include Last Name, released in October 2022, and Chasing Boys, released in February 2023 and which reached impressive positions on country radio music charts in Australia and the US, along with the third single, Keep My Head On Straight.
Briana distributed the songs through country stations, helping to build her platform as an emerging artist, enabling her to connect with new audiences and secure performance opportunities at festivals across Australia.
Briana continues to garner support from influential organisations such as the Country Music Association Australia, where she was named the winner of the Keith Urban Scholarship in 2022 and completing her studies at the CMAA Academy of Country Music in 2023.
As an independent country music artist in Australia, releasing music is a key way of getting recognised by industry professionals and record label representatives. Receiving this grant will help me to fund the recording of three tracks for my second LP. – Briana Dinsdale
Briana supported Australian country band, The Wolfe Brothers at their Brisbane concerts and in September, she performed the three songs as an opening act for John Williamson at a concert in Tamborine Mountain to support the Youth Enterprise Trust
When and where
May 2022 to April 2023 in Brisbane
Key stats
- 3 new songs
- 6 artists employed
- Secured two support gigs with the Wolfe Brothers
Arts Queensland investment
Arts Queensland investment of $7000 through the Individuals Fund in January 2022.
Outcomes
Skills development
- Gaining skills and knowledge about the recording and marketing processes
- Increased understanding of pre and post production techniques
Connecting with new audiences
- Gained new fans
- Increased Instagram followers by 67% since September 2022
Share our stories and celebrate our storytellers
- Created three original songs
Learnings and reflections
If I was to do something different, I would prefer to concentrate on just one main single and invest in a video clip, which would enhance the overall impact of the release.
To maximize exposure, additional funds could also be allocated towards increasing publicity efforts both locally and internationally to generate more awareness and interest for the release.
My main insights and takeaways include the significance of networking and promoting music professionally, not only within the Australian music industry but also within independent international music networks.
The coordination of release dates for the music proved challenging, and careful planning was required to ensure they were strategically positioned within the calendar year.
However, despite the efforts put in, there were challenges. For example, the release of "Chasing Boys" coincided with a popular date for new country music releases in Australia, resulting in fierce competition for playlisting opportunities. This taught an essential lesson on the importance of timing and consideration when releasing music.
Tips for others
The ultimate goal is to produce the best product possible and reach a broad audience, which may entail taking risks and making tough choices. For example, during production in the studio, we revisited recently written material that was ultimately more suitable for release than our original song choice. It was a difficult decision to make, but it reinforced the significance of critical evaluation and objectivity when selecting songs for release.
What next?
Briana has collaborated with many highly regarded industry professionals for song writing after the release and promotion of the three new songs.
This exposure has led to further plans for joint projects.