That's a wrap for 2018! An annual recap of our world tour, album launch & more
That's a wrap for 2018!
It was exactly 4 years ago after the 4th IPCC report, we were motivated to do what we could, so as a music producer and a project producer, we began recording songs with indigenous musicians across the Pacific and Indian Oceans, those have lived on the islands for the longest, those who sing for the seas. Over thousands of years, songs have played an vital role of storytelling and passing down knowledge through generations. True sustaining change is culturally driven, as artists we can shift societies narrative, we have a duty to. With support, we recorded and filmed with 33 featured musicians/groups across 16 island nations of the Pacific & Indian Oceans, where 400 million people share a little known common seafaring ancestry.
We love one of the reviews we received recently, “..like one very big, very happy family doing what they do best while helping get the word out on a most serious issue.” written by Tom Orr on RootsWorld USA.
On our trip we met an extraordinary group of real world superheroes who we are humbled to work with, we know we have a long and exciting journey ahead.
MUSIC ALBUM
Our album was pre-released on the 3rd of July (our wedding day!) and then worldwide in Sep' 2018.
It's a Fair Trade Music Release with 50% of net profit going back to the artists & NGOs.
All physical albums are packaged in a specially designed hand made paper envelope made from Tapa bark and sugar cane fiber (No single use plastic) and come with a 56-page full color booklet, a CD of 18 interwoven songs and (wait for it there's more) a gift from the Pacific (for your oral hygiene).
10 "Best Albums 2018" by Songlines UK, the Rolling Stone for world music!
"Utterly Wonderful" by Stuart Derdeyn Vancouver Sun CANADA
"most heartfelt and evocative sounds imaginable.” by Tom Orr RootsWorld USA
"Simply brilliant!" 5-star by Seth Jordan Songlines UK
2018 WORLD TOUR
4 continents traveled!!
12 countries / 20 cities
14 musicians & 3 dancers from 8 island nations hit the road with us!
Ben Hakalitz - Haku /Papua New Guinea
Alena Murang - Kelabit /Borneo
Ado - Pangcah, SiaoChun Tai - Paiwan, Piteyo Ukah - Truku / Taiwan indigenous
Will Kepa, Mau Power - Torres Strait islander /Australia
Horomona Horo, Jerome Kavanagh - Maori /Aoteroa
Charles Maimarosia - Are'Are /Solomon Island
Yoyo Tuki - Rapa Nui /Easter Island
Sammy Samoela - Merina /Madagascar
39 concerts/talks
100,000+ audiences reached
Oceania
6 island nations TOGETHER
for our first ever + full house show in Australia at the wonderful Kinema in Narooma, Australia.
North America
4 shows
Premiered at SXSW South by South West in Austin USA
21 media attended our show at International Day Stage & Sounds Australia's Aussie BBQ
Europe
5 weeks on the road
5 days on the Norwegian Sea
8 countries traveled - France, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Netherlands, Germany, Spain & UK
12 cities
15 concerts
9 talks/workshops
2,000+ smiley faces at the opening of the prestigious Førde Festival, NORWAY
15,000+ waiving hands at our headlining concert at EtnoSur festival, SPAIN
8 TV episodes to be released on TITV (Taiwan's NITV) who followed & filmed our tour. On big TV screen in Jan' 2019!
Asia
2 countries
6 cities
7 Pacific nations' ambassadors attended our final show at Legacy Taipei.
Indigenous Celebration, BALI, INDONESIA.
15,000+ audience plus TV live stream at Taoyuan international Music Festival, TAIWAN
ONLINE
15,000+ visits on our interactive online platform in 2018
from 6 continents / 83 countries
Top 5 visiting countries - Taiwan, Australia, USA, Spain & Netherlands
Launched full Mandarin 中文 website & Spanish landing page
Launched online Album Order "Market" page, "Philosophy" & "Blog"
FILM
Winner "Best International Project" at ASD Asian Side of the Doc, Bangkok, Thailand.
Presented at Sunny Side of the Doc 2018 in France.
3 coproduction companies in Australia & Germany
Feature film to be released in 2020
and......
Had our first ever BOOTH at WOMEX World Music Expo 2018
Began production on solo albums for two of our collaborating artists. (Ado & Yoyo Tuki)
GOT MARRIED and had our honeymoon, both ticked ;)
Huge THANK YOU goes to
Australia Council for the Arts
Creative Victoria
Sounds Australia
Ministry of Culture Taiwan 文化部
National Arts and Culture Foundation Taiwan 國藝會
Taiwan Indigenous Cultural foundation 原文會
Taipei Representative Office in the U.K. Cultural Division 駐倫敦辦事處
The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust - AU
The Ian Potter Cultural Trust
and all the precious support from family & friends, festival directors, media, distributors, advisors, and of course our dear fans!
We're heading out for another world tour in 2019, so look out for us!
Stay turned for more exciting news coming up or order one of our physical CDs as your new year's gift.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from us all
- Small Island Big Song
