Artist Management | 16.02.2023
Pictured: Dan Sultan with Ash Hills // Photographer: Michelle Grace Hunder
Multi-award-winning musician Dan Sultan is preparing to share new music after inking fresh artist management and booking agency deals, announcing today that he’s partnered with UNIFIED Artist Management’s Ash Hills and Lonely Lands Agency’s Harry Moore, to help guide the next chapter in the singer-songwriter’s illustrious career.
The way in which Dan Sultan – the songwriter – has been able to capture the complexity of the human condition has brought him widespread acclaim and accolades. But for Sultan – the human outside the art – it’s this complexity that has belied some of his most challenging years.
Sultan unpacked some of these challenges during a talk at TEDxCanberra last year titled ‘Impact Through Creativity’, a deeply personal monologue about how creativity has a cathartic impact on trans-generational trauma – moments in life that change you forever.
It’s this closely guarded trauma that inspired the lyrics for “Story”, a powerful ode about reclaiming one’s own narrative, in which Sultan’s signature sound shines. “Story” lands on streamers next Thursday (Feb 23) via Mushroom Group’s Liberation Records, marking the beginning of a vulnerable new chapter.
For over a decade, Sultan’s work has become synonymous with an important thread of songwriting that forms a detailed tapestry of Australian music. Across four studio albums, his artistry has been built on unbridled rawness; an ability to emotionally shatter a listener with passionate lyricism, and build them back up over the space of a singular playback. It’s a gift that has consistently won him praise from critics.
Sultan, who started playing the guitar at age four and wrote his first song at age ten, cemented his position as a prolific artist during the 2010 ARIA Music Awards where he entered the mainstream public consciousness when he won Best Male Artist and Best Blues & Roots Album for his second LP, Get Out While You Can.
He went on to win four more ARIAs over the last decade, including Best Rock album in 2014 for Blackbird and Best Children’s album in 2018 for Killer Under a Blood Moon. He’s also won four AIR Awards, two APRA Music Awards, four Deadly Awards, six National Indigenous Music Awards, and two Music Victoria Awards during his almost decade-long partnership with Liberation Records after signing with the independent label in February 2013.
Also announced earlier this week, Sultan will join Vance Joy on a North American tour in August and September this year, where he will play iconic venues like Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre in Denver, CO, and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN.
Dan Sultan said: “To have found a home with my manager Ash Hills at UNIFIED, and my booking agent Harry Moore at Lonely Lands Agency, is wonderful. Moving forward with such a strong team, at a time when I’m making my best work, is very exciting.”
Ash Hills, General Manager, Artist Management AU/NZ, at UNIFIED Music Group, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Dan Sultan to UNIFIED and to be working with him on this next stage of his career. Dan is an incredible artist and has been working on some of his best work yet, I can’t wait for the rest of the world to hear it.”
Harry Moore, General Manager at Lonely Lands Agency, said: “I’m extremely grateful to be a part of team Dan Sultan. Dan has had such a long and successful career and is an incredible live performer. To get the chance to work with the team, and build his live business, is something I am very excited about.”
UNIFIED Artist Management and Lonely Lands Agency are part of UNIFIED Music Group.