Natalie Waller Talks ARIA Awards Backlash, Country Music and More

Great leaders, it is mentioned by individuals who intently the equipment of enterprise, really do not established out to direct.

Natalie Waller is a scenario examine.

Waller, the head of ABC Songs & Events for the previous decade, was tapped as chair of ARIA in mid-2021, changing the extended-serving previous Sony Audio boss Denis Handlin.

Waller did not check with to direct the labels human body, under no circumstances used for the gig.

“I experienced no notion I would even be an choice,” Waller explained to The Brag Media’s Luke Girgis and Poppy Reid for the most up-to-date edition of Anxiety at the Prime.

When the ARIA board manufactured its selection, and the get in touch with came “it was a complete shock to me,” she recounts. “If I’m genuine I would say I did not count on it at all.”

In addition to her ongoing role with the ABC, Waller is a member of the Region Tunes Affiliation (CMA) board.

Waller anticipated, possibly, to go on on ARIA’s board, for which she serves because 2019.

The best occupation was surely out of the image mainly because that’s the way “it’s usually been.” Now, Waller is the initial female chair of ARIA, and with CEO Annabelle Herd, sorts the organisation’s initially all-female management workforce.

Michael Chugg gets the State New music Association’s Rob Potts Intercontinental Live New music Advancement Award.

Wanting back, Waller was “overwhelmed, and overcome with the reaction, the aid from the business.” After getting “700 messages in a variety of strategies,” Waller realised “what a sizeable minute that was.”

The great periods really do not roll on forever. When the nominations for the 2022 ARIA Awards dropped before this month, Mallrat identified as out the field celebration for its male-domination, noting that just a fifth of this year’s shortlisted artists are non-male.

Waller and her colleagues felt the backlash.

“We care, we care about variety, we treatment about inclusion and we want the most inclusive and varied ARIAs, but,” she suggests, agreeing with Girgis, The Brag Media’s CEO, “it starts at the source.”

Pointing out that an industry academy, and in some groups, supporters, decide on the winners or nominations, what ARIA “we can do is make sure we’re which includes presenters and performances…that’s exactly where can do a little bit a lot more.”

All through a unusual 40-minute interview, Waller admits she was not elevated into Australia’s nation songs scene, one particular that’s rated major a few in the planet, right after the United States and Canada.

“It’s a genre with a lot of prospective. It is heading in the ideal course,” she admits. “There could be far more notice taken,” from radio, media and by way of label investment decision.

“We really should be trying to propel our Aussies into the global sector additional,” she continues. “It’s an fascinating time. But also I assume we have a great deal of function to do.”

Issues, we have all designed a couple. At the near, Waller shared a lesson acquired. Before in her job, Waller admittedly did not talk up plenty of in the workplace. That all altered when a chief and mentor lent an ear.

“The additional you’re listened to, the far more you say. I want to make positive everybody in my staff has a voice and is listened to. We can learn so much off every single other. Just mainly because there is a hierarchy, it does not signify people today at the leading know every little thing.”