BIGSOUND 2016 Speaker Focus: Elspeth Scrine

Organisation: Huntly & LISTEN, LISTEN Board of Directors

How did you first become involved in the music business and how did you end up where you are today? I studied music after high school, and have been writing, playing and participating in "the industry" since then. Going to gigs, having meaningful conversations, trying to be part of the changes I want to see.

What's been the biggest change in the music business you've seen over the past 12 months? Something I've noticed emerging lately is a sense of solidarity and collectivism among artists who share a similar ethos of inclusivity, regardless of the type of music they're making. It's super inspiring to me.

What do you think will be the biggest issue affecting the music industry in the next 12 months and why? Ensuring that diversity (in gender, race and more) is a priority, not just for those who are invested because their own identities are marginalised, but for the wider industry and those with power.

What advice would you give young practitioners in your area starting out today? Hold onto what you love about music, in the face of an industry that can be exclusive and disheartening. Call people out, be honest, be vulnerable. Listen to those who have less power than you.

What will you be primarily discussing during your appearance at the BIGSOUND conference? Highlighting ways that expertise and power are perceived as a masculine quality, both consciously and unconsciously. I want to antagonise the notion of 'progress', when so many groups are still disempowered in the industry.

What are you hoping that people will be able to learn from your panel/interview? That those who aren't thinking about this stuff start thinking about it, and that those who do think about it feel a sense of solidarity, that some of their feelings are being voiced and heard.

What do you personally hope to take away from your time at BIGSOUND? I want to play a hot and sweaty set with my band Huntly, and I hope to meet people who want to make the industry better, more inclusive.

Which acts are you most looking forward to checking out at BIGSOUND? Brissy badass - Mallrat. Sampa The Great who I somehow haven't seen yet. Then some local Melbourne mates like CORIN and HABITS who I can certify are total game-changers.

When and where is your panel/interview? 7 Sep, The Judith Wright Centre, 3:35pm; 8 Sep, The Brightside, with Huntly.