Chelsea Wilson is a Melbourne based vocalist, songwriter, broadcaster, DJ and producer. She has been described as a modern day ‘renaissance woman’ by Blue in Green Radio; a ‘jazz-soul powerhouse’ by Beat Magazine; and “bold, creative, dedicated” by AustralianJazz.net.
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BIOGRAPHY
Her debut album ‘I Hope You’ll Be Very Unhappy Without Me’ was lauded as number 2 Album of the Year on ABC Radio National and nominated for Best Soul Album at The Age Music Victoria Awards. An internationally acclaimed live performer she headlined the Arts Centre Melbourne stage at the Australasian World Music Expo; and made her UK debut at the iconic Glastonbury Festival, subsequently selling out the famous London Jazz Café. A graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium of Music she has performed in Japan, the UAE, the USA, France, Spain, Great Britain, Indonesia and Thailand. She has supported acts including Macy Gray, Renee Geyer and Tina Arena and performed at venues such as Melbourne Recital Centre and The Athenaeum Theatre. She has worked with prolific jazz artists such as Paul Grabowsky, Andrea Keller and Vanessa Perica.
Behind the scenes, Chelsea is a festival director, broadcaster and producer. She has directed festivals including Stonnington Jazz, Brunswick Music Festival and St Kilda Festival Live N ‘Local; and produced events for Melbourne Music Week, Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival and Melbourne Recital Centre. As Artistic Associate of Melbourne International Jazz Festival, she developed and delivered the inaugural Melbourne Jazz Congress. She served as a Board Director of Music Victoria for five years, including 2 as Deputy Chair. In 2023 she was nominated for the Creative Leadership Award at the 2023 Australian Women in Music Awards.
An advocate for gender inclusivity, she has managed the Women of Soul Collective for over a decade, promoting original music by female and female-identifying artists including Mo’Ju, Allysha Joy, Audrey Powne, Nkechi Anele, Clairy Browne, Kylie Auldist, Stella Angelico, Candice Monique and many more. In 2023 the second Women of Soul release ‘Feel Good’, produced by Anna Laverty and Chelsea Wilson, was the first LP in Australia to be entirely performed, produced and composed by an all-female team. The album was featured on Double J, TODAY EXTRA Channel 9, Frankie Magazine and nominated for the Australian Music Prize.
The former Music Manager of iconic Melbourne radio station PBS 106.7FM, Chelsea presented the much-loved weekly jazz program Jazz Got Soul for over six years. She has produced and presented radio programs for PBS 106.7FM, Mi-Soul Radio London, ABC Local, triple j and Delite Radio London. As a DJ she has opened for acts such as Craig Charles (BBC6), Neneh Cherry, Booker T and Eddie Palmieri. Currently she produces and presents the Control podcast, highlighting women working in the music industry. Guests include Emma Donovan, Clare Bowditch, Professor Cat Hope and Deborah Cheetham AO.
Chelsea has appeared as a guest speaker at music industry conferences such as Face the Music, BIGSOUND and NYC Jazz Congress USA and is a guest lecturer at Melbourne University and Monash University.
Chelsea is also a grants consultant and assessor for organisations such as Creative Victoria, APRA AMCOS, The Australian Music Centre, the Australian Contemporary Music Office for the Arts and Creative Australia.
Currently Chelsea is the Senior Producer of Contemporary Music at Monash University Performing Arts Centre, and is working on her third solo album. She is the mum of two boys, Teddy and Arthur.
