ABOUT | ERNEST AINES MAIN
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ABOUT ME

Intricate finger-style guitar and dreamy vocals reflect the deeply contemplative and evocative lyrics of Melbourne’s Ernest Aines.

A multi-award winning songwriter, noting over a decade of experience, Ernest’s uniquely pure and thoughtful sound has enchanted both fans and critics across the globe. He was nominated as Artist of the Year by Folk Alliance Australia 2023. 

Ernest’s journey began with busking on the streets of Melbourne, and progressed to him  playing celebrated events like The Australian Open, The Melbourne Grand Prix, The Port Fairy Folk Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, the St Kilda Festival and The Blue Mountains Folk Festival. He has appeared throughout the UK on his tour in early 2024. His indie-folk styling and unique vocal delicacy has been compared to James Taylor, Jeff Buckley, Ray Lamontagne and Bon Iver.

In 2021, Ernest was selected for the Sounds Australia Folk Alliance International Showcase, and Global Music Match, achievements that would see his presence within modern folk grow exponentially in the months to follow.

He released five singles from his debut album – a project years in the making. The single ‘Rigged Games’ spoke volumes on behalf of Ernest’s unfiltered, authentic approach to the art-form, with live performance clips depicting a compelling devotion to the heartache and desperation of the writing. Along with the single ‘So Far’, the new music has amassed thousands of streams online, and Ernest’s second single ‘Yellowstone’ earned high-rotation at ABC Country.

Ernest has taken home multiple awards for songwriting over the years, beginning with an Apollo Bay Festival Young Songwriter Competition win back in 2010. He has since noted finalist positions at the International Songwriting Competition (2013), the Melbourne Songwriting Competition (2016) and the Australian Songwriting Awards (2021), along with another win in 2020 for the City of Melbourne Online Song Competition. 2020 also saw him earn the runner-up position in the Cygnet Folk Festival Song Awards.

Ernest’s ability to captivate audiences means he is in demand at festivals and has been invited to showcase at several international industry conferecnes such as the Folk Alliance International Official Showcase in Kansas City, USA, in February 2023, where he was honoured to perform for the Library of Congress Archive and the Irish Your Roots Are Showing conference where his performances caught the eyes of industry bookers and paved the way to his future international tours. He also played live on ABC Art Works TV show (Sept  2023)

Ernest released his debut album, "Spiral Bound", in  September 2023 and it has gained over 150,000 streams on Spotify.   

 2024 Highlights

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Jan 2024   

  • Official showcase at the Your Roots are Showing Conference, Ireland

  • Your Roots are Showing Dundalk Music Trail

  • UK tour including  Green Note London, Chapel Arts Bath, Kitchen Garden Cafe Birmingham, Folklore Rooms Brighton, Cafe#9 Sheffield, The American Bar Belfast

 

Feb 2024 

  • Ireland Tour with Irish Songstress Lorraine Nash, playing Coughlins Live Cork, Monroes Galway, School Yard Theatre Nth Cork, Little Whelans Dublin, The White Horse Ballincollig, Cleere's Kilkenny

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March  2024       

  • Nannup Festival (W.A.)

  • Yackandandah Folk Festival (Vic.)

  • Blue Mountains Folk Festival (NSW)

  • The National Folk Festival  (Canberra)

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 2023 Highlights

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Jan 2023

  • Newstead Live Festival (Vic)

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Feb 2023

  • Folk Alliance International  Official Showcase

  • Library of Congress Archive performance, Kansas City

  •  St Kilda Festival performance (Melbourne)

 

Mar 2023

  • Pink Floyd 50th Anniversary shows Melbourne & Sydney with orchestra                

 

Apr 2023

  • Live Performances at Gasometer  Collingwood

  • Live Performance Wesley Anne Northcote  

  • Signed with  SquarelemonPR Management

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June/July/Aug 2023

  • Extensive travel in Canada  to  play and connect with festivals

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Sept 2023

  • Release of debut album "Spiral Bound" and launch at Memo Music Hall, St Kilda                       Media: Played live on Australian Broadcasting Corporation - Art Works TV program nationwide- 

  • Australian Folk Artist of the Year 2023 nominee                  

  • Sponsorship by Pratley Guitars               

  • Media: Interviews & play live on  RRR  &  ABC radio

 

Oct 2023

  • Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival (NSW)

 

Dec  2023

  • Woodford Folk Festival  (QLD )

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2022

  • Finalist in Folk Category Australia Song Association Awards (ASA)

  • Release of song So Far mixed by Radiohead engineer Hugo Nicolson, release of singles Yellowstone & Rigged Games

  • So Far + Yellowstone added to high rotation ABC Radio Country & Grassroots

  • Port Fairy Folk Festival with band, Rockhampton River Fest, Floriade Nightfest with band ,  The Basin Music Festival

  • Sponsored by Cajun maker, Mark Aspland 

  • Folk Alliance International Showcase *Virtual

  • Regional gigs -  Ararat, Hepburn Springs, Castlemaine, Sorrento, 

  • Played over 50 gigs in and around Melbourne 

  • Played F1 Grand Prix & Aust Open tennis

 

2021

  • Folk Alliance International Sounds Aust. Spotlight Showcase *Virtual

  • Folk Unlocked Sounds Australia FAI Private Showcase *Virtual

  • Sponsored by Wild Dogs - Stomp Box

  • Global Music Match – selected and mentored by Sounds Australia & Lisa Shwartz (US team coach)

  • Isolaid Online Festival

  • Winner, City of Melbourne Song Competition  (Heartwood)

  • During lockdown, live streaming gigs regularly on Instagram, “The Honesty Sessions”.  Iso Sessions.  

  • Runner up – Cygnet Festival Song Competition (Rivermouth)

 

2019

  • EP “Already Found” release

  • ​Westernport Festival, supporting The Badloves

 

2018

  • City Square Festival, Melbourne, supporting The Sunny Boys

  • Teaching songwriting in Brazil for the Locals Matter festival 

  • Sponsored by Melbourne’s Ian Yates handmade guitars.
     

2017/18

  • Teaching guitar en masse to Flemington kids to add music to their lives
     

2013 -2016 

  • Travelled extensively busking in New Zealand, Berlin, Vancouver, Montreal, and Tokyo.
     

2015

  • Nominated for Melbourne’s Best Busker Competition

  • Folk, Rhythm & Life Festival

 

2013 -2010

  • Melbourne Songwriter Competition finalist

  • Mentorship with the Victorian Arts Council's “Push" campaign
    "Rivermouth" on the of Jmag cover compilation (July)

  • Finalist in the International Singer/Songwriter Awards

  • 2010 – Winner Apollo Bay Young Performer Award

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