“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
"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 - Aus/Fijian Singer-Songwriter
A powerful vocalist and engaging story-teller, Australian/Fijian singer-songwriter Andrea Kirwin began her songwriting journey when she picked up a guitar at age 21 and dropped out of her arts/law degree in Canberra to tour the East Coast of Australia with her first band, the Andi and George band. During 2005 - 2008 she booked independent tours and travelled with the renegade collective of housemates and uni friends to many Folk Festivals in an old 1986 Nissan UD bus performing at iconic festivals such as The Dreaming Festival, Woodford Folk Festival and Womadelaide amongst others. Together Andi and George released 4 DIY albums, which hold a special place in the hearts of the Canberrans who attended some of their legendary gigs at The Front Cafe in Lyneham, including an album launch for their Sun and Moon double album that was shut down by the Riot police back in 2008.
In 2009 Andrea went solo and founded Peace Run Records and Agency from the South Coast NSW and went on to release 5 albums independently between 2013 - 2021, receiving Queensland Music award nominations for her second album The Story of Us (released 2015), and 2 x QMA nominations in the Folk and World Music categories for her most recent album, Bloom (released 2021) and won the QMA award for Best Children's song in 2022 for a co-write with Nyssa Ray, 'Love Everybody' from their collaborative Children's album, 'Songs for our Little Friends'.
Andrea's original music has been influenced by her multicultural upbringing growing up between Australia and Fiji as the daughter of a Fijian Preacher and her gospel roots can be felt in her vocal style and love of harmonies and her passion of sharing music as a communal experience. A lover of acoustic folk and soul, Andrea's original compositions are based around beautiful melodies and musical arrangements that are then layered with meaningful, heartfelt lyrics. Whether writing and arranging for her duo with her wife Claire Evelynn on Celtic Harp or for her 13 piece band, Andrea will often focus on leaving space within arrangements to encourage the listener to engage with the song. Her style of writing has had a lasting impact on people's nervous systems and can have a positive effect on the audience. This is an intention that Andrea weaves into her music.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
With 20 years performing on the Australian Folk Festival scene, Andrea has built her audience organically through her live performances and music advocacy on the Sunshine Coast, QLD. Her music community are an incredible support of her original music and her entrepreneurial pursuits through Peace Run Records and Agency. Whether performing with her wife Claire Evelynn as a duo or with her 13 piece band The Yama-Nui Social Club, or hosting a show through Peace Run Records, Andrea's love of music and connection to community is evident and can be felt by the audience. To experience this for yourself at a live show please visit: www.peacerunrecords.com and sign up to our monthly music gig guide.
​
Career Highlights
Current Co-programmer for Island Vibe Arts and Music Camp Out November 2025 (QLD)
​
Organised and toured with SÍOMHA (IRE) for her first Australian tour. (March 2025)
​
Organised and toured Tracy Chapman Tribute Show 16 shows across QLD, NSW and VIC (February 2025)
​
Organised and toured with Canadian artist Ryland Moranz for his 2nd Australian tour (October - December 2024)
Organised and tour managed US vocal group WINDBORNE and celebrated harpist and educator CHRISTINA TOURIN for their first tour of Australian Folk Festivals (March 2024)
​
Commissioned to write and perform the Closing Ceremony song for Woodford Folk Festival 'A Village Dreams' (December 2023)
​
Programmed 'Sunny Coast Feature' for Woodford Folk Festival showcasing 12 local Sunshine Coast Artists and Mc'ing daily morning concerts. (December 2023/24 & 2024/25)
​
Launched Independent Touring Agency with 2 x international Canadian singer/songwriters, Sierra Noble (Manitoba) and Ryland Moranz (Alberta). (September - October 2023)
​
10 day School Workshop tour of Tagai State School across 7 campuses in the Torres Strait Islands (March 2023)
​
QLD Music Awards Judge for 2023 entries in the Blues and Roots Category (2023)
​
Received a Sunshine Coast Arts Foundation Grant of $1000 to go towards Peace Run TV pilot episode promoting 2 x local artists (2023)
​
Guest Programmer Caloundra Music Festival (2022 & 2023)
​
Peace Run Records attended to Export Music Industry Conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Turtle Island (Feb 2023)
​
Programmed and hosted Sunshine Coast Council monthly live music event 'Nambour Forecourt Live' (2021 - 2023)
​
Two songs from 5th album, 'Bloom', nominated as Finalists for the Folk and World categories in the 2022 Queensland Music Awards
Attend​ed Break Out West Music Conference held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada (October, 2022) ​
​
Programmed Rockhampton River Festival main stage (Sat 8 Oct 2022)
​
Tracy Chapman East Coast Tour - 10 Dates (2022)
​
Woodford Folk Festival Small Halls Tour of Regional QLD (Nov 2021)
​
QMusic Panelist for Connect Music Industry series (July-Aug 2021)
​
Programmed the Live and Local Festival, Sunshine Coast (2021)
​
Represented Australia as part of the Global Music Match (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 (2020)
​
Opened up and ran Peace Run Records boutique live music venue on Queen st, Nambour (2020 - 2024)
​
Carol Lloyd award finalist (2019)
​
Cole Clark Guitars Endorsement (2017)
​
Representing multicultural Artists from QLD at Bigsound QLD (2016)
​
4 songs from 'The Story of Us', highly commended in the
Queensland Music Awards (2016)
​
Receiving a Regional Arts Development Fund ($6000) grant for 2nd album recording project. (2015)
​
Organised 3 East Coast Australian Tours with first band
The Andi and George Band in 2007 - 2009 and performed at Woodford Folk Festival, Dreaming Festival, Folk Rhythm and Life, Canberra day, Womadelaide, Yackandanda Folk Fest and many more shows in Canberra during these formative years!
​
​
FESTIVALS PERFORMED AT IN 2025
Cygnet Folk Festival (TAS)
Illawara Folk Festival (NSW)
Port Fairy Folk Festival (VIC)
Blue Mountains Music Festival (NSW)
Yackandandah Folk Festival (VIC)
Noosa Eat and Drink Festival (QLD)
​
FESTIVALS PERFORMED AT IN 2024
Yackandandah Folk Festival (VIC)
Brisbane Festival (QLD)
Neurum Creek Folk Festival (QLD)
The Gas Festival (QLD)
Dorrigo Folk and Blues Festival (NSW)
Woodford Folk Festival (QLD)
​
FESTIVALS PERFORMED AT IN 2023
Woodford Folk Festival (QLD)
Maleny Music Festival (QLD)
Caloundra Music Festival (QLD)
Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues Festival (NZ)
Horizon Festival (QLD)
​
FESTIVALS PERFORMED AT IN 2022
​
National Folk Festival (ACT)
Sunshine Sounds Festival (QLD)
Gympie Music Muster (QLD)
Horizon Festival (QLD)
Rangebow Festival (QLD)
Palm Creek Folk Festival (QLD)
Sunshine Coast Mardigras (QLD)
Woodford Folk Festival (QLD)
​
​
FESTIVALS PERFORMED AT IN 2021
Festival of Small Halls (QLD)
Horizon Festival (QLD)
Regional Flavours Festival (QLD)
Festival of Water (QLD)
Noosa Eat and Drink Festival (QLD)
Melt Queer Festival (QLD)
Brisbane 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)
​
​
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)
FESTIVALS PERFORMED AT IN 2016
Valley Fiesta (QLD)
West End Festival (QLD)
Horizon Festival (QLD)
Maleny Music Festival (QLD)
Four Winds Festival (NSW)
Majors Creek Folk Festival (NSW)
Quandamooka Festival (QLD)
Bigsound Music Expo (QLD)
International Readers and Writers Festival (QLD)
​
​
and many more wonderful Folk Festivals and Community events since first picking up a guitar at 21 back in 2006.
​
