AUSTRALIAN singer – songwriter, Ella Hooper will lead known and loved acts during an afternoon of great music on Sunday Feb 3 at Musiqua, a new live music event kicking off for the first time at the Hastings Foreshore Reserve.
Hooper is heralded for her impressive Aussie rock story from childhood to contemporary shows and gigs. Originally from Violet Town in country Victoria, she was the lead singer of Killing Heidi when they won triple J’s Unearthed competition in 1996 at the age of 13.
The decade that followed saw the release of three studio albums, a handful of ARIAs and iconic Australian songs that remain popular to this day. In the ten years between the end and reunion of Killing Heidi, Hooper’s solo career took off, turning to radio, television and music once again.
“I think that’s why I have been lucky to stay in the industry, making sure I branched out into fields like radio and television,” said Hooper, who always knew she wanted to be a performer. “It’s been a wild and I have been lucky as a musician to have stayed in the industry for so long. I always knew it was going to be about music and my family were always so encouraging. Being able to diversify with tv and radio has given me an even richer experience.”
As a performer, Hooper loves going to new venues and is excited to perform at the first Musiqua this year.
“Growing up in a regional area, I know how great it is having live music come to you. These days I love getting out of the city myself and playing to locals all over Australia. I’m thrilled to be kicking off the first ever Musiqua with a view of Westernport and in some awesome company,” she said. “I will be performing some of my solo tunes and a range of covers as well. In fact, this will be my first solo gig of the year.” With more exciting news, Hooper has been chosen for Eurovision – Australia Decides, showcasing some of Australia’s biggest acts, singing original compositions, for their chance to represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019.The event is hosted on the Gold Coast and broadcast live and exclusively on SBS on Saturday 9 February. “It’s very exciting to be involved in anything that is the first of its kind, and in recent years I have become more and more fascinated with Eurovision, so it’s perfect timing. I’m hoping to bring a bit of traditional rock ‘n’ roll energy to a bombastic performance of a meaningful pop song,” she said.
Musiqua is part of the 3-day AGL Peninsula Film Festival program which entertains crowds on screen and stage from February 1 – 3 2019. Now in its eighth year, the festival has expanded to present Musiqua to showcase the cool vibes of emerging and established Australian musicians.
Located on the Hastings Foreshore Reserve, concert goers get to soak in the seaside setting while enjoying the fantastic line-up. Musiqua showcases live music from respected artists Ella Hooper, Terry Serio and Charlie Owen, The Midwayers, Taylor Piggott and Matilda Pearl.
To purchase Musiqua tickets check out http://www.peninsulafilmfestival.com.au/buy-tickets.html or www.musiqua.com.au
First published in the Mornington News – 29 January 2019
