Mike Waters inks booking, management deals

Both Select Music and Unified’s management arm WAU have signed corporate world drop-out Mike Waters.

The Melbourne-via-Adelaide artist joins the WAU Management roster of Vance Joy, The Kite String Tangle and Violent Soho among others. Waters will be managed by Aidan and Rhett McLaren, the directors behind The Hills Are Alive festivals. The McLaren Brothers partnered with Unified in March 2014 and manage recent AMP Award winner REMI.

Aidan McLaren of WAU told TMN he came across Waters after hearing one of his first-ever bedroom demos online.

"It was a pretty rough recording, but there was something special about his songwriting and lyrics that made a big impact," said Mclaren. "Mike has an incredibly unique voice and a natural ability to write instantly memorable songs. We’re all really excited to be working with Mike to spread his music to the world. It also helps that he’s a great guy."

Waters joins Sydney-based booking agency Select Music as the company’s first artist signing since its 10th birthday celebration on Tuesday. He joins a roster of lauded, award-winning acts including Ball Park Music, Josh Pyke and Passenger.

:: Happy 10th Birthday, Select Music: Stephen Wade Looks Back

Waters independently released his EP LIFE today. The EP was produced/engineered by John Castle (Vance Joy, Washington, Josh Pyke), Craig Harnath (Jet, Motor Ace) and Jack Arentz (I Know Leopard, New Navy, Deja). Today also marks the release day for the official video for first single Gambling Man.

Waters spent the past 10 years working as a web developer and since leaving the corporate world to pursue a career in music has performed New Years On The Hill and The Hills Are Alive festivals, supported Jay Brannan (USA) and Lewis Watson (UK) and played his own headline gigs including a residency at The Espy and two sold out shows in Melbourne at Some Velvet Morning. 

Waters told TMN: "I'm very excited to be working with Select and WAU. These are teams of driven, passionate people who are very good at what they do, and it's inspiring and energising to be a part of their rosters. It's such a huge opportunity for me to have these guys represent me because not only does it open doors that otherwise wouldn't be there, but it gives me the chance to really focus on music, and not get sidetracked by other elements of the industry.

"It's just not possible for me to do on my own all the things that we need to be doing each day to keep this train moving, and I'm really looking forward to where this working relationship will take us."

Next month Waters will hold three EP launches in Adelaide (June 11), Sydney (June 12) and Melbourne (June 19). Tickets are on sale now, see www.mikewatersmusic.com for details.