PRESS RELEASE: Sarah McLeod announced as Chair of Australian Women in Music (AWM)

MEDIA RELEASE
EMBARGOED UNTIL 10AM ON WEDNESDAY 9 APRIL 2025 (Australian Eastern Standard Time)

Sarah McLeod announced as Chair of Australian Women in Music (AWM)

Australian Women in Music (AWM) has today officially announced that Sarah McLeod has been appointed as the new Chair of the organisation.

A trailblazer in Australian rock, Sarah McLeod is a founding member, lead vocalist, and guitarist of the three-time ARIA Award-winning band The Superjesus, one of Australia’s most respected bands for the past three decades. McLeod has broken barriers in a male-dominated industry, cementing her status as a role model for female and gender-diverse artists navigating the music landscape.

AWM is dedicated to celebrating and empowering female, and gender-diverse artists, musicians, and music practitioners across all areas of industry and all genres of music. Since its inception, the organisation has driven systemic change to make visible female First Nations and multicultural artists, women working in remote and regional communities, female producers, engineers and technicians, emerging artists, and industry leaders.

McLeod’s appointment as Chair is a natural progression of her deep commitment to advocacy and equity in the music industry. She has been actively involved with AWM, serving on the Board of Directors for the past year, where she has worked alongside founder Vicki Gordon to champion inclusivity and drive meaningful change.

“I’ve spent a couple of years watching Vicki Gordon move and shake this industry to provide opportunities for women and gender-diverse folk. Her commitment to inclusivity and equality is nothing short of inspiring! I signed on to the Board of Australian Women in Music (AWM) a year ago because I felt it was time to give back to the industry which has kept me afloat for 30 years,” said McLeod.

“AWM has come a long way, but there’s still so much to achieve. As the new Chair, I will be working with the Board to address the enormous gender research gap across the sector and focusing on opportunities beyond our Award Ceremony, First Nation’s Showcase, and Conference to see where we can provide more support,” adds McLeod.

As Chair, McLeod will play a pivotal role in advancing AWM’s mission, focusing on addressing the significant gender research gap in the sector, and expanding the organisation’s impact beyond its Award Ceremony, First Nations Showcase, and Conference.

Australian Women in Music Awards (AWMA) was established in 2018 by founding Executive Producer Vicki Gordon to address the chronic gender inequality across the full spectrum of the Australian Music Industry.

Founding Executive Producer and Program Director Vicki Gordon welcomes Sarah McLeod to AWM.

“Sarah McLeod is a rock legend who represents the very best of what we need to see reflected, especially for young female and gender-diverse musicians. Her recent appointment as the inaugural Chair of Australian Women in Music couldn’t come at a better or more critical time for the sector. I look forward to working with Sarah to continue our work to achieve gender equality and build a safer, more inclusive music industry for all,” said Gordon.

Award-winning soprano, Nina Korbe, is quickly establishing herself as one of Australia’s leading young sopranos, and she has been welcomed as AWM Board Observer.

As a proud Koa, Kuku Yalanji, Wakka Wakka woman, Korbe is actively involved in the championing of Indigenous Voices; working closely with the Queensland Youth Orchestra, sitting on the Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s First Nations Advisory Committee, the Playlab Theatre Board, and recently as First Nations advisor to the Australian Music Foundation and Board Observer to Australian Women in Music.

“I am incredibly proud of my involvement with AWM in this capacity, as their work exemplifies my beliefs, and gives a voice to the very people I am committed to championing,” said Korbe.

Outgoing Chair Jennie Sager, a highly respected industry leader, has played a crucial role in guiding AWM through a period of growth and transition. Under her leadership, the organisation has strengthened its advocacy efforts, expanded its programs, and laid the foundation for future initiatives. She will continue to support AWM as a Non-Executive Director, ensuring a seamless transition and ongoing strategic leadership.

“I am incredibly proud of what AWM has accomplished during my tenure as Interim Chair,” said Sager. “Sarah’s passion, experience, and commitment to the cause make her the perfect leader to take the organisation into its next phase and I’m excited to see how AWM continues to evolve under her leadership.”

AWM’s mission is to support and promote female, and gender-diverse artists and music practitioners as essential contributors to the future business growth of the Australian music industry; and to amplify positive role models to address gender biases, break down cultural barriers and remove negative stereotypes that AWM believes have prevented female, and gender-diverse artists from succeeding for decades.

Also at AWM’s core is a focus on working with First Nations artists from Regional and Remote communities to empower individuals, support self-determination, and increase confidence; as well as supporting youth, women in tech, multicultural artists, students, and disabled artists.

Their mission to deliver high-profile performance events and create employment opportunities are at the very heart of the industry engagement AWM strives to achieve, with the creation of unique networking opportunities to encourage meaningful connections, in turn expanding professional networks and driving collaborations.

McLeod’s leadership marks an exciting new chapter for AWM as it continues its mission to amplify the voices of women and gender-diverse practitioners across all genres and all areas of the music industry.

– ENDS –

Australian Women in Music is assisted by the Australian Government through Music Australia.

For interview opportunities with Sarah McLeod, please contact publicist Josie Gagliano at [email protected] or 0411 234 022

Notes and links for Editors:
AWMA Website: womeninmusicawards.com.au
Sarah McLeod, Nina Korbe, Vicki Gordon photo link HERE.
AWMA Board: womeninmusicawards.com.au/awm-board/
Instagram: instagram.com/womeninmusicaus
Facebook: facebook.com/AWMAAwards/
TikTok: tiktok.com/@womeninmusicaus
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/australianwomeninmusic/
#AustralianWomenInMusicAwards #AustralianWomenInMusic #AWMA #WomenInMusicAus #AWMARegional

About AWMA
Led by highly respected music producer and cultural specialist Vicki Gordon, the AWMA team is made up of experts with extensive experience in the production of large-scale event management, digital media, strategic planning and development. AWMA is overseen by a Board of Directors with extensive experience in the arts and the music industry, accountancy, community engagement, not-for-profit governance, stakeholder engagement and law.

The mission of AWMA is to:
Support and promote female, and gender-diverse artists and music practitioners as vital, essential contributors to the future business growth of the Australian music industry.

Amplify positive role models to address gender biases, break down cultural barriers and remove negative stereotypes that have prevented female, and gender-diverse artists from succeeding.

Acknowledge and celebrate the vast contributions of female, and gender diverse artists working across all areas of industry.

Address the underlying challenges impacting female, and gender-diverse people i.e. safety, empowerment, leadership, representation, diversity, and gender parity.

Work with First Nations artists from Regional and Remote communities to empower individuals, support self-determination and increase confidence.

Produce programs that showcase First Nations female and gender-diverse artists, singers, songwriters, storytellers and music practitioners.

Support multicultural artists and music practitioners, students and disabled artists.

Provide industry engagement and deliver high-profile performance events and employment opportunities.

Create unique networking opportunities that encourage meaningful connections to expand professional networks and drive collaboration.

Build music programs and internships that offer real-life work experience for female, and gender-diverse students working in male-dominated roles such as audio engineering, lighting, technical, marketing and production areas.

Support and promote the participation of female, and gender-diverse artists and music practitioners across all genres of music including rock, pop, classical music, jazz, folk, country, heavy music and opera.

About Sarah McLeod
Sarah McLeod is the founding member, frontwoman and guitarist of The Superjesus, a multi-ARIA award-winning and platinum album-selling band. Her illustrious career spans nearly three decades and is marked by her induction into the South Australian Music Hall of Fame. Renowned as one of Australia’s most versatile artists, she seamlessly transitions between rock band, solo career, and acclaimed theatrical productions.

McLeod’s journey began in Adelaide with the meteoric rise of The Superjesus in the mid-90s, leading to global tours and numerous accolades. Her solo career is also impressive, with four albums, several EPs, and various EDM chart-topping singles to her name. McLeod has made significant contributions to theatre, with standout performances in ‘Green Day’s American Idiot’ and Shake & Stir’s ‘Jane Eyre,’ where she composed and performed the soundtrack live as well as portraying a host of characters.

McLeod’s reputation for delivering vibrant, high-calibre work, coupled with recent solo tours showcasing new songs with relatable messages, heralds anticipation for fresh material across various projects.

As an inspiration to generations of artists, Sarah advocates for equality in the music industry, exemplified by her voluntary role on the Board of Directors for Australian Women in Music. Her commitment to fostering diversity and inclusivity is a cornerstone of her latest project. Developed over six years, it is a significant milestone in her career, embodying themes of empowerment, acceptance, and longevity.

McLeod and her band The Superjesus just released their first full-length studio album in 20 years, which debuted at number 10 on the ARIA Australian Albums chart. Sarah continues to push boundaries and captivate audiences. Her legacy as a versatile artist is a testament to her dedication, creativity, and unapologetic authenticity.

Sarah McLeod: sarahmcleodofficial.com

About Vicki Gordon
Vicki Gordon is a Helpmann Award-winning music producer, recognised for her life’s work to empower diverse new voices to the stage as an ongoing commitment to Australian culture. Vicki has worked as a Musician, Music Theatre & Documentary Maker, Record Label Executive, Cultural Producer, Tour Manager, Artist Manager, Marketing Manager, A&R Director & ARIA Board Director. She brings a wealth of experience as a Creative Producer and Leader in Management, Corporate Sponsorship, Government Lobbying, Strategic Planning in the NFP sector, First Nations Engagement, Cultural Governance, and Advocacy.

In 1990 Vicki established the Australian Women’s Rock Institute, the first organisation of its kind in Australia set up to address the status of women in the Australian Music industry. As Artistic Director she produced Australia’s first Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Women’s Contemporary Music Festival; first All Girl Rock Festival, a first Training program for Female DJs, and the very first Fanzine for female musicians. She has been Music Manager to First Nations singer/songwriters Emma Donovan and Ursula Yovich and as an independent Record Label Director was integral to the success of Vanessa Amorosi’s 5x platinum debut album The Power and worldwide hit, Absolutely Everybody. As Producer & Curator for the critically acclaimed First Nations Women’s ensemble Barefoot Divas (Emma Donovan, Ngaiire, Ursula Yovich, Whirimako Black, Maisey Rika & Merenia Marin) Vicki independently toured the company to sell out houses in North America, Canada, and Hawaii, selling out the Hong Kong Concert Hall in 2015.

In 2019 Vicki was the only Australian Music Executive recognised in the AFR Top 100 Women of Influence and was a finalist in the 2020 Telstra Women’s Business Awards. Vicki commissioned the multi-award-winning First Nations Women’s Rock Musical Barbara & the Camp Dogs picking up 4x Helpmann Awards in 2019 including Best Musical and Best Score and 4x Green Room Awards in 2020. Vicki is currently co-producer with Bunya Productions to develop the work as a feature film.

Vicki holds a Certificate of Completion in Indigenous Cultural Protocols for Business, a Human Rights Commendation, and numerous awards in recognition of her contribution to industry.