bio

Presenting the story of Andrea B, her musical quest 4 prosperity, her joy & pain in the world of song, her dreams ‘n schemes 4 a future strong…

Short & Sassy

In the 1990s Andrea lugged her electric piano throughout Melbourne’s original music pub circuit to pursue her passion between more lucrative cover gigs. In 2000 she staged the cabaret show ‘Amazonian Lady’ (slightly upstaged by the Sydney Olympics), and the year after won first prize in the Australian Songwriters Association competition for her wacky track ‘When I Lived Alone’. Her album ‘Loose Ends’ followed, an eclectic collection of musical musings on delights and despair encountered via the search for identity, love and meaning, earning two more top 10 placings from the ASA. Her songwriting has veered towards social and environmental welfare – in 2011 Andrea won the ABC Melbourne ‘Play Apollo Bay’ comp with ‘Friday On My Mind 2’, a reflective sequel to the Easybeat’s 60s hit, earning radio play and festival performances. She continued to enjoy appreciative audiences throughout urban and regional Victoria, including a cut-throat final at Maldon Folk Festival’s songwriting competition with ‘Mountains’, a lament on waste accumulation, and performances at the Queenscliff Music Festival. After appearing as an artist for the city of Wyndham’s Red festival, Andrea was invited to perform ‘Live @ the Stage’ at Wyndham Cultural Centre, where she shared her songwriting journey to a buoyant mid-Winter crowd. Supported by the Wyndham Cultural Foundation Andrea released her 2nd album ‘Seeking Me Finding We’, an acoustic take on the tried and true and the new, and has since sought me and found we around Victoria, and picturesque paradise Port Stephens NSW where she now resides. On sunny weekends you will most likely encounter Andrea performing at D’Albora Marina Nelson Bay.

Long ‘n Lush

Andrea Barnett is an award-winning singer/songwriter/pianist from Wellington NZ and Melbourne Australia. After completing a Bachelor of Arts at Melbourne Uni in the early 1990s she embarked upon a musical career under the tutelage of Sue McNeil, Australian College of Entertainers. Self-funded in lessons and life via a variety of cover band projects and dayjobs Andrea honed her craft at various original music establishments, predominantly the inner city Barley Corn and Empress Hotels. In 1997 she settled as resident singing pianist at Collingwood’s Cafe Bohemio and as the ‘Miss’ in the popular Italian wedding band ‘5 Hits and a Miss’ to see out that decade.

In 2000 Andrea staged the cabaret show ‘Amazonian Lady’, named for her own feminist anthem, as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, and in 2001 won 1st prize in the National Australian Songwriters Association competition for her wacky track ‘When I Lived Alone’. For much of the noughties she collaborated on various recording projects with producer buddy Mark McSherry, one significant result being her first album ‘Loose Ends’, an eclectic collection of musical musings on the delights and despair encountered through the struggle to find identity, love and meaning in contemporary urban life. The down to earth songs are infused with country lament and often peppered with humour. Two more songs from ‘Loose Ends’ brought Andrea further honour from the ASA with top 10 placings in the country (Loose Ends) and contemporary (Fire in my Mind) categories of their 2008 competition, and a nomination for the Rudy Brandsma award for songwriting excellence. Delayed by motherhood, a belated album launch was held on 7th February 2010 at the iconic Hardimans Hotel in Kensington, inner Melbourne. To respect the first anniversary of Black Saturday (a day of devastating bushfires across outer Melbourne and country Victoria), all CD sales were donated to the RSPCA in recognition of the free care and assistance they provided to injured wildlife, domestic animals and their traumatized owners during those dark days (and continue to provide to all creatures great and small).

Happily ensconced in outer suburban domesticity and public service duties Andrea directed her songwriting towards ideas and concerns related to social welfare and the ailing environment, including the climate change challenge. Instilled with the community spirit she has worked with Relay for Life and the Australian Conservation Foundation to spread the good stuff, and was elected to the board of the Western Region Environment Centre in Werribee Victoria. In 2011 Andrea won ABC Melbourne’s ‘Play Apollo Bay’, with her song ‘Friday On My Mind 2’, a tribute to the songwriting duo Vanda and Young about generational change. It was selected by Derek Guille, Apollo Bay festival director Caroline Moore and ABC Dig’s manager Tony Walker from over 100 entries, and was also recognised in the top 10 of the ASA Australia category.

Apollo Bay Music Director Caroline Moore: “This song (Friday on my Mind 2) travels nicely, is well crafted and is beautiful”.

In 2014 the Maldon Folk Festival was privy to a cutthroat final at the Roddy Read songwriting competition, where Andrea’s composition ‘Mountains’, a lament on waste accumulation lost the trophy by a nose. Queenscliff Music Festival was next on the agenda, then Wyndham’s annual RED festival booked Andrea to see the year out. In 2015 Andrea ditched her dayjob suits for busking pants, brightening the streets of Melbourne’s west and CBD with melody and mien. At the behest of Wyndham council she performed ‘Live @ The Stage’ at Wyndham Cultural Centre, where she shared her songwriting journey via ambience and a grand piano to a buoyant mid-Winter crowd.

Wyndham Council: “Andrea’s heartfelt melodies will remain with you long after the curtain closes”.

In 2016, with the support of the Wyndham Cultural Foundation Andrea recorded her 2nd album ‘Seeking Me Finding We’, an acoustic take on the tried and true and the new – finding Self in Society. She has since sought me and found we around Melbourne and wider Victoria, and picturesque paradise Port Stephens NSW where she now resides. On sunny weekends you will most likely encounter Andrea performing at D’Albora Marina Nelson Bay.