Warrnambool’s Michael Honan was one of five Victorian songwriters who travelled to Nashville last year to participate in the Melbourne to Nashville SongHubs program, supported by the Victorian Government and run by APRA AMCOS.
Led by Australian-born Nashville-based country hit-maker Lindsay Rimes, the program saw participants work with acclaimed country artists and producers, building connections with career-breaking industry leaders in the world’s biggest country music market.
Michael talks about how the experience has changed his life.
How was the Melbourne to Nashville SongHubs experience for you?
It was a mind-blowing experience to say the least. I came in as the "greenest" songwriter of the entire group of 10. I had only written songs by myself and recorded in my bedroom at the time. It was pretty intimidating beforehand, but after meeting everybody I realised that they were all like me, just chasing a passion for music that they can't quit.
Cowriting for the first time was challenging, but with every session it got much easier. It was a super supportive environment for a first-timer like me to get a handle on what it's like to write a song in collaboration with others. It was super interesting to see how each songwriter handles the task of writing a song, they each had different methods they used, and it was really inspiring to take that home with me to refine my own methods.
It was also super interesting to talk to each of the producers and see each of their workflows, and how they approach creating a song from scratch. I left the SongHubs program with a burning certainty that songwriting was what I was going to do for the rest of my life, and that flame is burning hotter than ever as I type this.
What was it like working with Lindsay Rimes?
Lindsay's a great guy, and an absolutely talented producer and songwriter, and I've learnt an incredible amount from him.
I had the chance to write with him twice during the SongHubs Nashville program, and both times the vibes were immaculate. He's got such a way of making you feel comfortable in the writing room, and he's so good at exploring ideas that come from personal stories, getting to the core of what the song is about, and knowing how to write it in such a way that it can grab a mainstream audience.
What led you to the program? What had you done previously?
Honestly, I was just writing, recording, and releasing songs as a hobby. It was a creative outlet for me that I picked up during COVID that kept me sane, and I enjoyed every aspect of the process. I had a family friend reach out to me with a link to the APRA article advertising the SongHubs Nashville program, and I figured I'd throw my hat in the ring. Little did I know that it would completely change my life, both in direction and opportunity.
What’s happened for you since the program?
Through the SongHubs Nashville program, I've met so many great people in the industry, and made great friends along the way. Over in Nashville I met a bunch of talented songwriters from the area, and met industry titans that I may never have met without this opportunity.
Getting my name out through the SongHubs sessions paved the way to me winning a spot to play at Ridin' Hearts Festival under the Ridin' Starts program, where I've been given a number of opportunities to speak to industry leaders from Universal and Frontier Touring. Through this experience, it opened doors to me being part of the Back Forty lineup at the upcoming CMC Rocks Festival in QLD, where undiscovered artists are given the opportunity to play a number of sets on a couple secondary stages.
What’s next for you?
I've just released a new single called More Than I Can Tell on all platforms, which was written, recorded and mixed by myself, and I've got a bunch more music to share this year. I'm heading back to the US in late April, where I'll be immersing myself in Nashville's songwriting world again, for a much longer time. I'll be trying to get as many writing sessions as I can to continue honing my songwriting craft. I'll also be recording more music over there and hopefully come back to Australia in June with heaps of great songs, and demos.
I'm in the process of working on my upcoming EP, which I think will show how far I've come since the early releases before all these opportunities came my way. It's an exciting time!
Tell us about your music – how would you describe it and what inspires you?
I primarily write country music. I've always loved how country music grabs you with a story and speaks to the heart. I grew up on classic artists like Keith Urban, Alan Jackson and Randy Travis, and I loved how all their music makes you feel some way, whether it's wanting to cry in your beer, or sing loudly in the car.
With my music I try to tell some kind of story, and to attempt to make you feel it. Sometimes it's hard to write songs about tough times in your life, but it's really rewarding when an audience can resonate with a song that you've created from that.
Country music in Australia seems to be going through a bit of a modern resurgence – why do you think that is?
I think a lot of country music comes across as being very authentic. It's not complex music. It speaks to living a simple life, and in the busy world we live in, it's an easy genre to resonate with - the appreciation of the little things. Australia also has a large rural population, and I think that contributes to it too. Plus, who doesn't love a good beer-drinking song!?
Melbourne to Nashville SongHubs is part of the Victorian Government’s investment in the state’s music industry at all levels.