Brittney Kahl performed in the Ipswich and Silkstone Eisteddfods as a child; currently manages a leading live music venue in the city and now her career has reached a new pinnacle. 

Aligning with International Women’s Week, nine emerging music business professionals in the state were invited to complete a mentorship with Queensland’s music industry development association, QMusic.

On Thursday, 24-year-old, Brittney Kahl, learned she was one of the chosen. 

“I feel honoured,” she said. 

“The whole idea is that following Covid-19, they put together a program which supports emerging female industry professionals, established industry professionals and female musicians,” Brittney said. 

The nine women selected will be mentored by eight industry experts to produce a regional tour in Far North Queensland. 

“A lot of my role is strictly to book the venues and help out with venue production,” Brittney said. 

The program is a collaboration project between QMusic and the State Government and is designed to support women in starting and growing their own businesses as well as working towards leadership positions within the music industry. 

Grateful for the opportunity, Brittney said her journey toward a career in the music business stemmed from her background in performing. 

Born and bred in Ipswich, Brittney said she was plucked out of choir at the age of seven and told that she had a gift. 

“I was told I could sing and from there it kind of became my thing,” she said.

“I loved singing both musical theatre and classically.”

Pursuing the artform throughout school enabled her to audition for Queensland University of Technology’s prestigious Bachelor of Music program when she was 17. 

“I remember everyone looked so cool and ‘indie’ and I turned up and sang Phantom of the Opera,” she laughed. 

She was pleased to receive an acceptance letter from the University, however, Brittney recalled one of her first assignments in the course. 

Writing a song. 

“I had never written a song before, I had never just … created something,” she said. 

Feeling like a “small fish in a big pond”, Brittney left the course and took up a double degree in business majoring in public relations and entertainment.

“I still wanted to be in the music world, but I felt like I could be better at the business side,” she said. 

“I thought I could become a facilitator or a conjugate between the performer and the industry.

“And now, I actually get more satisfaction out of providing an opportunity for someone and watching, specifically local performers on stage, and their growth.”

Alongside her studies, Brittney has been running Studio 188, the live music venue in the Ipswich CBD for the last three years.

“When I was 21, I wanted to create a place that made people proud to say that they were from Ipswich.

“I was working at the Civic Centre at the time, and I wrote up a business model and gave it to my boss. 

“And he liked it, so here I am. 

“But I looked at it the other day and if someone gave me that now I’d say, ‘well you’ve got guts kid’,” she laughed. 

“But I do love Studio188, and I find it inspiring to see the potential within Ipswich.”

Despite her doubt in her ability as a 21-year-old, the business model she proposed is still in use and it’s her drive to create a live music hub in a regional community such as Ipswich which gave her the impetus to apply for the mentorship. 

“I think what inspires me is seeing young, up and coming women in the industry as well as all of the potential that Ipswich has,” she said.

“And the big thing that attracted me to the mentorship is the connections I could make.

“Obviously, I am a venue booker at Studio 188, so I’ve got experience in booking a venue, but co-ordinating multiple venues to work in with a tour is something I’ve never done before.

“But you can’t work in the music industry and stick to one stream, so we all work together and collaborate.

“It’s a great experience.”

QMusic CEO, Angela Samut said the mentorship is about supporting early career development in professional roles within the music industry for women. 

“QMentorship is an important initiative under our Women in Music program and supports early-career industry professionals who are pursuing a career within our industry, or who want to explore other skills for gaining employment,” said Ms Samut.  “QMentorship is designed to have experienced industry practitioners share their knowledge with their mentees in the areas of business development, artist management, venue booking, tour management, sound engineering and marketing and publicity.

“It is a vital capacity building program and one which will produce a tour in North Queensland showcasing local artists and injecting much needed economic activity into our regions.” 

And as Brittney continues to run Studio 188, study and work alongside like-minded individuals during the mentorship, she said she is thankful to be within the industry that she loves so much. 

“When I was in school, I had no idea just how big the music industry was,” said Brittney. 

“I’ve gone from this classical music theatre bubble in Ipswich, and I’ve been thrown into this massive music industry world.

“I’ve got no interest in leaving Ipswich anytime soon though. 

“There’s so many exciting things happening, and I want to be a part of that and watch Ipswich blossom. 

“And Ipswich is so close to Brisbane and I’ve always wanted to connect the two and this mentorship and meeting new people, well, I guess it can all help me do that.”