Dr Alethea Beetson | Dreaming Loud

In this Q&A, QUT alumnus Dr Alethea Beetson delves into her work as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Program Lead at Spotify. Also Creative Director and Founder of Blak Social, Alethea is a powerhouse in the Indigenous arts and music scene. Join us as she shares her inspiring story and vision for the future of Indigenous music.

Can you tell us about your journey since graduating from QUT? How did you get to where you are today?

I spent the first stage of my career in the classroom teaching Drama, English, History and Geography within a high school setting. This led me to work in Indigenous Education supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students attending boarding school in Meanjin (Brisbane). Working with this young mob was an incredible time, however; in an educational setting, it felt like their voices were not always prioritised. I always wanted to work in theatre, particularly youth and/or community theatre, so I worked with 20+ Indigenous boarding school students to create a play about their experiences.

That play led to the founding of Digi Youth Arts (DYA) - a not-for-profit Indigenous arts organisation that shares the stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. I worked at Digi Youth Arts (whilst in other roles within teaching before leaving in 2015 for the creative sector) from 2013 to 2022. The organisation is still thriving and it brings me so much joy to see the art the young people continue to create as their careers progress.

In 2020 I founded Blak Social - an Indigenous arts space working across music, theatre and film. This was the inevitable place I would make for myself and other artists beyond DYA. Blak Social has been fortunate to have a theatre production with Brisbane Festival, QPAC and Screen Queensland, residencies at The Tivoli and Brisbane Powerhouse, and a major visual album film work through Blak Narrative Music Videos. As an artist, Blak Social is a place for my work as a writer, director and performer.

What inspired you to also pursue a career in Indigenous music?

In 2018 BIGSOUND was looking for a First Nations producer and I had been wanting to develop my skills in that space…and I am a big fan of music made by Indigenous artists. I was fortunate to get that position and that really launched my career supporting, platforming and advocating for Indigenous music.

Through BIGSOUND a partnership was formed for that event with Spotify to develop and implement First Nations House: a space to celebrate Indigenous music. In 2019 this was a physical take-over of a venue in the Fortitude Valley while BIGSOUND’s conference and music festival events were happening. Then in 2020, we delivered First Nations House online by sending equipment and (when it was safe to do so) crews to 8 Indigenous artists across the country so we could broadcast their music.

I remember getting the edit back of Birdz and Fred Leone’s track Bagi-la-m Bargan which was filmed across 3 locations during one of the peaks of the pandemic; it made me feel so strong. I needed to hear that song at that particular time, and I know so many others got to feel that when we broadcast it as well. That is what ultimately inspires me to work within Indigenous music, songs by mob just hit different.

As the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Program Lead at Spotify, what are your main responsibilities? What initiatives or programs do you work on at Spotify?

I began working for Spotify at the beginning of 2021 as their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Program Lead to develop the Dreaming Loud music strategy. In 2017, Spotify launched Blak Australia, a music playlist that spotlighted Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians. Since then, Spotify’s support of First Nations artists has grown into Dreaming Loud, with multiple playlists and programs featured on the platform to amplify Indigenous creators.

My work is centred around ensuring music made by First Nations artists is supported across the entire Spotify playlisting ecosystem, delivering the 7 targeted playlists highlighting the music of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians, liaising with First Nations artists and their teams, and engagement and partnerships with Indigenous artists, businesses and communities.

What motivates you to do this work?

This music. I genuinely love the work my community makes.

You are also the Creative Director of Blak Social. Does this work intersect with your work in Indigenous music?

Blak Social has a strong focus on supporting and amplifying Indigenous music. BLAK DAY OUT has become a regular fixture on Blak Social’s calendar each year, which, as the name suggests, is an Indigenous music festival! We also have worked with The Tivoli on other music events during our time there in residency, as well as Indigenous music events with Brisbane Festival and Horizon Festival.

Blak Social Records was launched in 2022 with the release of a single from the soundtrack of our theatrical work Queen’s City. Last year Blak Social released Selve’s album and visual album Red Desert Dream. And this year we will be releasing some of the band's singles, as well as a soundtrack to a major theatre work happening later this year.

Throwing parties for mob within the sovereign music space is where I feel most at home so I love that I get to work on events like BLAK DAY OUT and other music activities across the State.

What advice would you give to Indigenous artists who are just starting their careers in the music industry? What are the best platforms/avenues to get their voices and music heard?

Stay true to who you are, and keep being guided by community - where your practice is at with that journey. The music industry is irrelevant to the important role you play in continuing our stories through song.

Look to all the mob who have gone before you and who are working in this space as they are the ones making sure our voices are heard - and they do this regardless of what is ‘trending’ in the music industry. We do this because Indigenous music is important, and your songs are vital.

How would you like to see the future of Indigenous music evolve in Australia?

Indigenous musicians continue to make such phenomenal music despite the colonial regime of the industry. The music industry is in a challenging space at the moment from a mainstream perspective but what they are experiencing now is what mob have been experiencing for a very long time.

I think the music industry needs to be significantly changed, and as part of that process, there needs to be long-term reinvestment into the function of music for Indigenous communities. Indigenous music will survive what is happening in the music industry right now because we are still here sharing our songs despite ongoing colonisation. I know the future of Indigenous music is going to be incredible because mob will keep sharing our stories.

In your opinion, what is the most important thing the music industry and the public can do to support Indigenous artists?

Financially invest in their careers by buying tickets to their shows, as well as merch and physical records, where you can. Listen to Blak music - every day of the year - not just during Reconciliation or NAIDOC weeks.

Lastly – a bit of a fun one! Who are some of your favourite Indigenous musicians/artists you would like to give a shoutout to?

All of them! But to shoutout a few:

• Jem Cassar-Daley - Every single she releases is somehow more beautiful, I am in awe of her songwriting and delivery
• Keely - A really exciting artist who is really thinking about how to have the most engaging live show possible
• DOBBY - Brother was the standout artist of SXSW Sydney for me. His live shows, composition and lyricism are incredible. His upcoming album is absolutely deadly.
• Stiff Gins - I love listening to their 2011 album Wind and Water. All of those songs make you feel at home in some way, and can really settle you down and ground you.
• Sycco - I'm such a fan of this young artist who has worked really hard to get where they are and continues to really work on their craft. I'm Excited for their upcoming releases as well.

Dr Alethea Beetson

QUT Degrees - Doctor of Creative Industries (2022) - now a Doctor of Philosophy and Bachelor of Creative Industries (Drama) / Bachelor of Education (Secondary) (2005)

Have a question for Alethea? Connect with her on LinkedIn.