INTERVIEW WITH SONGWRITER AND ARTIST ASTON

From Australia to LA: What Songwriters Can Learn from Global Music Hubs

As part of The Song Method interview series, I spoke with Australian songwriter Aston about her experiences relocating from Australia to Los Angeles and the differences between songwriting cultures, collaborative environments, and songwriter development opportunities across international markets.

Having built a career writing and collaborating internationally, Aston offered valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing Australian songwriters, as well as what Australia might learn from more established songwriting industries.

Why Move to Los Angeles?

For Aston, the decision to relocate was both personal and professional.

Growing up in Australia, much of the music, film, and entertainment she consumed came from the United States. Los Angeles represented not only the centre of the entertainment industry but also a place where creative careers felt attainable.

Beyond the cultural appeal, practical considerations played a major role. Time zone differences made international collaboration challenging from Australia, while relocating to Los Angeles allowed her to work directly with a wider range of writers, producers, and artists.

Perhaps most importantly, she sought opportunities to collaborate with people operating at the highest levels of the industry.

"Moving to LA gave me the opportunity to sit in rooms with people whose talent far exceeded my own capacity at the time, which pushed me to grow."

The Difference Between LA and Australia

According to Aston, one of the biggest differences is scale.

Los Angeles attracts creative professionals from all over the world, creating a highly competitive environment with an enormous volume of collaboration opportunities.

While Australia offers a strong sense of community, its smaller population naturally limits the number of high-level songwriting opportunities available.

She also highlighted the diversity of the US music market.

"The US is far more diverse in terms of genre. In Australia, it can be difficult to find collaborators who excel in vastly different genres if your goal is to write global pop records."

At the same time, Aston believes Australia possesses qualities that many international markets lack.

"Australian sessions tend to be more fun and collaborative because you aren't constantly navigating massive egos."

What Can Australia Learn From Other Songwriting Markets?

A recurring theme throughout the interview was the way countries such as Sweden, Korea, the UK, and the United States treat music as an important cultural and economic asset.

Aston pointed to Sweden as an example where music education and songwriting are introduced early through schools and community programs. She also highlighted Korea's trainee system, which has normalised artistic development from a young age.

By comparison, she believes Australia often struggles to place the same cultural value on artistic careers.

"Australia's core issue is that art is simply not respected, understood, or structurally appreciated in the same way."

She also expressed concern that many successful Australian artists receive greater recognition internationally before being celebrated at home.

The Value of Songwriting Camps and Collaboration

When asked whether Australia would benefit from more structured songwriting camps and collaborative initiatives, Aston's answer was clear: yes.

She believes that bringing experienced international songwriters and producers into Australian writing environments could help bridge the gap created by geographical isolation.

Throughout her career, collaborative writing sessions have played a central role in her development as a songwriter.

"Co-writing sessions are the absolute bedrock of my entire career."

Beyond creating songs, Aston emphasised that collaboration provides a unique form of education that cannot be replicated through books, videos, or online courses.

By working alongside other writers, songwriters gain insight into different creative processes, approaches to melody, methods of communication, and ways of solving creative problems in real time.

Rethinking Australia's Songwriting Ecosystem

When asked how she would redesign Australia's songwriting ecosystem, Aston argued that meaningful change requires more than isolated initiatives.

While songwriting camps, workshops, and funding programs are valuable, she believes broader cultural change is needed to elevate the value of creativity, artistic risk-taking, and music as a professional career pathway.

Her vision is for Australia to become a more significant global hub for songwriting and music export, supported by stronger creative infrastructure and greater investment in songwriter development.

Key Reflection

Aston's experiences highlight many of the themes emerging throughout The Song Method research project. While songwriting talent is important, the environments in which songwriters develop also play a significant role.

Access to collaboration, mentorship, diverse creative communities, education, and international opportunities all appear to influence songwriter growth and career sustainability.

As The Song Method continues to investigate songwriting methodologies and collaborative environments, Aston's perspective raises an important question:

How can Australia create stronger systems that support songwriter development while retaining and nurturing its creative talent?

Interview by Sarah Manovski

The Song Method Research Interview Series