Getting To Know Kelly Brouhaha
Kelly brouhaha wears many hats.
Songwriter, session player, tour manager, multi-instrumentalist - she’s enjoyed a career on all sides of the business for over a decade. Growing up in regional South Australia, the singer songwriter spent much of her childhood moving from town to town with her fathers job, something she says drew her to music, finding solace in a guitar from the loneliness of always being the new kid.
Studying a Diploma Of Music in 2008, she cut her teeth working the Adelaide pub scene while moonlighting a day job as a freelance music business person. Wether interning with small record labels, lecturing music business at Music SA or honing her skills in publicity firms , she’s held a passion for multi-coloured spreadsheets equal to that of playing guitar for much of her career.
In 2011 she began recording and releasing music under a number of artist names, bands and projects, most of which she hopes the internet has buried. It wasn’t until 2017, at 27 that she found herself at The DAG songwriting retreat, in Nundle NSW - a place which has become somewhat of a church for singer songwriters. Discovering country music and a confidence to pursue a solo career, this retreat was a catalyst for much of what was to come next. Meeting Shane Nicholson amongst others there, she went on to record her first full length Americana record, produced by Nicholson.
Her break came midway through 2017 when an old vocal coach called and offered her a musician in residence position on Aussie Road Crew - a camping and music experience hosted by country music legend Beccy Cole. This trip led to being invited to The Tamworth Country Music Festival as a “Sister Of Twang”, an all female project led by Cole.
In 2018 she was invited to tour with Beccy Cole & The Sisters Of Twang nationally. Armed with her own full length record, a session musician / tour management job and a team that became family, she’s been driving laps around the country since.
As an artist in her own right, she’s slowly built a dedicated audience throughout Australia and continues to release new music regularly while wearing her many hats.
CAREER HIGHLGHTS
Festival of Small Halls 2021 (Woodfordia inc.)
500 Miles Of Music 2021
Beccy Cole Support - Lioness Tour 2018-2021
ABC Country Feature Album "Unplugged"
Shortlisted for The Americana Music Prize 2018
ABC Duets - with Clare Bowditch
RADIO SUCCESS
ABC Country Feature Album - Campfires
#1 AMRAP Chart - Campfires
#1 AMRAP Chart - Benjamin
#1 AMRAP Chart 40,000 Star Hotel
ABC Local Playlist High Rotation - Benjamin
ABC Country Playlist High Rotation - 40,000 Star Hotel
ABC Local Playlist High Rotation - Keep It To Myself
ABC Local High Rotation - Audrey's Song
SPOTIFY / SYNC SUCCESS
Tourism SA Ad "Down The Rabbit Hole" - Audrey's Song
Grant Burge Wines Ad - As Long As There's A Smile
Qantas Playlist - Audrey's Song
Spotify Curated Very nearly Nashville Playlist - 40,000 Star Hotel
Spotify New Nashville Playlist - Benjamin
Shania Twain "Kick Ass Women Of Country"Playlist - Benjamin
SUPPORTS
The Cat Empire (Sandstone Point Hotel 2021)
Beccy Cole - Lioness Tour & Wilder Tart Tour 2018 - 2022
Diesel (Oct 2017, The Gov)
Ella Hooper and Gena Rose Bruce (July 2016, Slug and Lettuce Hotel)
Jon Stevens (January 2016, Adelaide Convention Centre)
Dyson Stringer Cloher (November 2013, The Wheatsheaf Hotel
Sarah Mcleod (November 2013, The Promethean)
Clare Bowditch (August 2013, The Gov)
FESTIVALS
Gympie Music Muster (2023)
National Folk Festival (2022)
Americana In The Park (2022)
Blue Mountains Music Festival (2022)
Nimbin Roots Festival (2022)
Festival Of Small Halls (2021)
500 Miles Of Music (2021)
Agnes Blues Roots & Rock Festival (2021)
Fleurieu Folk Festival (2020)
Music In The Mulga (2019)
Clarence Valley Music Muster (2018)
Wee Waa Cotton Capital Muster (2018)
Bleinhem Festival (2018)
Newport Folk Festival (2017)
Bendigo Blues and Roots Festival (2015 + 2017)
Gaol Blues Festival (2016)
Melrose Music Muster (2015)
Feast Festival (2014,2013,2012,2011)
Turning Wave Festival (2014)
Yackandandah Folk Festival (2014)
Fleurieu Folk Festival (2013 )
Semaphore Music Festival (2013 & 2015)
Gundagai Riverfest (2013 )
Newstead Live (2013)
Tamworth Country Music Festival (2013, 2018,2019, 2020, 2022)
QUOTES
"She's known for having an extraordinarily rare voice"
- CLARE BOWDITCH
"it's just so much fun, that girls got amazing pipes, she sounds like Amy Winehouse - but with more of a soulful edge as opposed to a jazz hook"
- NKECHI ANELE - TRIPLE J ROOTS AND ALL
"I really don’t know if we have anyone similar in Australia, I am pretty sure that we don’t. She has similar elements of other artists from overseas, and maybe a touch of Renee Geyer, but basically, she is a one-off. In a close tunnel genre in Australia, Kelly is Queen. She is a no-nonsense, firebrand"
- COWGIRL UP BLOG
"Her voice is old and new at the same time, wise and whimsical, cracked and smooth. It’s the voice of an accomplished singer who has dedicated herself to being a storyteller."
- SUNBURNT COUNTRY MUSIC BLOG
"Brouhaha has a gorgeous, powerful, dare-we-say Adele-esque voice, and her new song Don’t Have To Write it Down is a fine vehicle for it"
- RIP IT UP
"Kelly Brouhaha wears many skins, and her Brouhaha outfit is a refreshing burst of acoustic folk. Filtering her glossy pipes through pure UV, Kelly Brouhaha’s rhythmic guitars brilliantly shine beneath her cascading vocals. Brouhaha champions harmonies, and on her Don’t Have To Write It Down album, she also champions the perfect glass half-full persona."
- THE MUSIC
“…Bright, bubbly and exploding with personality, Kelly Brouhaha is a charming and talented young lady, determined to bring a smile to the face of all who come into contact with her. And she’s succeeding every step of the way!”
– FRINGE BENEFITS
"They perform happy, feel good songs full of funky rhythms and gorgeous melodies. Launching their new single Audrey’s Song at this gig, they are definitely destined for great heights! 4/5 Stars"
- THE CLOTHESLINE
“Get some Brouhaha in your lives people, this gal is testament to our local talent, an infectious and inspiring favourite!!…”
- THE GILBERT ST HOTEL
“…[her music] has the ability to lift you up and put you in a happy place”
– MUSIC SA
"From laid back soulful start to uplifiting party finish Kelly's beautiful voice and bubbly personality helped take our event to the next level. She's a joy, we can't wait to work with her again!"
- INTERWEAVE GROUP
“if the place isn’t packed, this town needs to hang it’s head in shame”
- SCALA NEWS
On Sobriety - How I Quit Alcohol Podcast
On Songwriting - Songversations Podcast