“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-Programmer
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 retired school bus and performed at The Dreaming Festival, Woodford Folk Festival and Womadelaide. 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 and went on to release 5 albums under her own label, receiving Queensland Music award nominations for her second album The Story of Us and won the QMA award for Best Children's song for a co-write with Nyssa Ray, 'Love Everybody' and received 2 x QMA nominations in the Folk and World Music categories for her most recent album, Bloom (released in May, 2021).
Andrea's original music has been influenced by her childhood growing up in Townsville as the daughter of a Fijian Preacher and her gospel roots can be felt in her vocal style. A lover of acoustic folk and soul, Andrea's originals use melodies and arrangements that form a lasting impression on the listener and wax and wane between Easy listening tunes and high energy songs. She often performs solo or as a duo with her wife Claire Evelynn on the Celtic Harp and currently is performing as her 13 piece Folk/Funk/World Fusion big band The Yama-Nui Social Club at select Festivals as well.
With over 15 years performing to Festival audiences across Australia and New Zealand, Andrea has gathered fans who've become great friends over the years and form her musical village online and on the Sunshine Coast. Her music community are an incredible support of her original music and her entrepreneurial pursuits through Peace Run Records and Agency. During the Covid shutdown in 2020, Andrea made the decision to remove her albums from streaming platforms and start a Patreon page and opened up her artistry for people to connect deeper with her creative journey as a recording artist. This led to Andrea opening up a shopfront for Peace Run Records and Agency in Nambour on the Sunshine Coast, which continues to connect independent Artists and lovers of live music through hosting boutique events. Most weekdays you can find Andrea with her border collie Bear at 14 Queen St, Nambour working on various events and expanding Peace Run Records and Agency. Andrea has also started programming local events in Nambour and west of the Bruce Highway. For more information on events and other exciting things happening, please visit: www.peacerunrecords.com
Career Highlights
Organised and tour managed US Artists WINDBORNE and CHRISTINA TOURIN for an independent tour of Australian Folk Festivals through Peace Run Records and Agency (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)
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 (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 'Bloom' nominated as Finalists for the Folk and World categories in the 2022 Queensland Music Awards
International Delegate to Break Out West Music Conference, Canada (2022)
Guest Programmer Caloundra Music Festival (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 Peace Run Records shopfront in Nambour during Covid (2020)
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 2024
Yackandandah Folk Festival (VIC)
Brisbane Festival (QLD) (booked)
Neurum Creek Folk Festival (QLD) (booked)
The Gas Festival (QLD) (booked)
Dorrigo Folk and Blues Festival (NSW) (booked)
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 Festivals and Community events since first picking up a guitar at 21 back in 2006.
