Elise Reitze and Rosie Taylor

New sounds in music: what are we missing?

TEDxPerth 2018
November 2018

Talk length:

6:51

New sounds in music: what are we missing? | Elise Reitze & Rosie Taylor | TEDxPerth

Music producers are inventors of sounds. These sounds form the songs we listen to and go into commercials, movies and games; all contributing to the soundtrack of our lives. Much of what we hear goes through the hands of a music producer. Yet the world isn't reaching its full potential to invent new sound. Here's why. Elise and Rosie met when they were 14 years old at an afterschool percussion program at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). When the opportunity came, they gave each other the nod of respect at how great they thought each other’s solos were.

Elise and Rosie continued to make music together, later studying music at WAAPA and UWA, majoring in Percussion and Composition. As they began performing as “Feels”, Elise and Rosie saw that female, trans and non-binary electronic artists were underrepresented as music producers. To this end, Elise and Rosie co-founded music community WOMPP (Women of Music Production Perth) to help improve equal gender representation within the Perth music scene. WOMPP inspires and nurtures diversity in Australia’s electronic music culture and provides a safe place for learning and growth.

In 2018, WOMPP won a WAM Award for Label of the Year.

Elise Reitze and Rosie Taylor
Electronic duo Feels

Elise and Rosie met when they were 14 years old at an afterschool percussion program at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). When the opportunity came, they gave each other the nod of respect at how great they thought each other’s solos were. From then on they were friends and making music together. Elise and Rosie went on to study Bachelors of Music at WAAPA and UWA, majoring in Percussion and Composition. During their studies they gained experience in performance and music composition: playing for the Queen at CHOGM 2011 was a performance highlight.

The collaboration between these percussionists and music producers was established when they started their electronic duo Feels in 2014. As Feels they built a strong reputation within the music scene when they started playing live in 2016. Feels have performed at music festivals such as Listen Out 2017, Falls Festival 2018, Laneway Festival 2018 and Perth Festival 2018, as well as winning WAM’s Best Electronic Producer award for 2017 and WAM Song of The Year 2017-18.

As Feels began curating their own gigs in 2016 it became apparent that the Perth music scene was lacking representation of female, trans and non-binary electronic artists. In January 2017, Elise and Rosie co-founded music community WOMPP (Women of Music Production Perth), with the intention of improving equal gender representation within their local music scene. WOMPP aims to inspire and nurture Australia’s diverse electronic music scene and provide a safe place for learning and growth.