Ella Hooper (R) and Cassie Walker (L)
Cassie met Ella like most teenage girls in 2000, at one of the many regional in-store appearances Ella and her band Killing Heidi made. At 14, the band Killing Heidi made huge waves for teenage girls in Australia. Seeing a teenager, who wasn’t the cookie-cutter look, singing about real themes yet 25 years later – females are still the minority in the Australian music industry. This inequality has been the driving force behind ROAR FEST.
Teaming up with friends made in the music industry; Tania Sullivan and Tammy Blake saw the birth of rackeTT Collective in July 25. Inspired by the vision “to see more women on and off the stage,” the trio united with the mission of producing collaborative projects that help women navigate the industry pathway to achieve impact and success. ROAR FEST is indelibly a passion project for the trio and marks their first major venture as partners.
Ella is one of three official ROAR Ambassadors alongside Tania Doko and Kate Ceberano, hosting Headline event at the National Theatre and joining Kate and Tania for the “In Conversation Panel ” to celebrate International Women’s Day. Ella’s commitment to the project has seen her involved in creative and strategic plans for the inaugural festival and she lays claim to naming “ROAR”. Years on since their first meeting, Cassie sits down with Ella to unpack ROAR FEST and the importance behind celebrating women in music.
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Cassie: Ella, what a wild few months it’s been, creating ROAR FEST. Tell me why it was so important for you to get involved?
Ella: Number one was just to help be the change. I’ve been noticing, living with the problem of gender imbalance in my industry for years, but what have I actually done about it? I mean I’ve taken part in several mentoring. programs and I have always given support slots to female and gender diverse opening acts and I have multiple women musicians in all my bands.. but, I knew there was more i could do. The chance to be involved with something from the ground up, on such a big proud scale, has been amazing!
Do you get tired from advocating for women?
Hmmm.. no I don’t really. I get pissed off that it’s still so necessary, but something always felt very right about it. I have always felt pulled towards advocating for minorities and/or excluded peoples – it’s very much in my blood and in my upbringing. I can’t imagine not wanting to leave the place better than you found it. The place being the industry, and honestly when I entered it, it was pretty fucking terrible! The OWM (old white men..) were 100% ruling the place, and would not get away with half the shit they pulled on me or in my band’s name or whatever, so it’s really good and highly motivating to see that progress..
What inspires you to keep ROARING about women in music?
There’s still so far to go! We aren’t even half way there when it comes to inclusion, some parts of the industry are doing better than others with it, for sure, but as we’ve all seen with those damming ‘line ups without men’ social media posts (where all the male acts are deleted from a festival bill poster.. leaving like, two women out of a hundred) live music and festivals are dragging the chain.. especially in my field of rock n roll, or in the slightly older demographics. It’s soooo common for the female acts to be the opener, it’s a good day if there’s two female acts on the bill, a huge achievement it it’s three! That’s what were addressing with Roar fest!
When you entered the music industry as a teenager, who did you look up to?
Adalita, Janet from spiderbait, Fiona Horne, Angie Hart from Frente, Ani Difranco, and I always had my eye on artists like Bonnie Raitt, EmmyLou Harris, and Tracy Chapman who were having these incredible mid career, midlife peaks of artistry, so I knew it was possible..
Did you realise when your fanbase was growing, you were becoming an influence to young women?
I think it took me a moment to realise that was happening. But I got the picture when I saw armies of young girls in the crowd starting to rock my look, at the Big Day Out especially I noticed young gals referencing my ‘look’.. hehe, and I was so complimented by that. I also began to hear from fans via old fashioned fan mail and on message boards how much Killing Heidi’s success was encouraging and emboldening Them, and it’s the absolute proudest element of my whole career. If I inspired one girl to write a song or join a band, or work in the industry then that’s my happiest result and take away of all.
What support was given to you back then, taking on such a huge responsibility?
Not much I’d have to say! I had a wonderful female tour manager – Ann Gibson – who was instrumental in helping me feel supported and heard in the day to day biz of touring etc, but there was a lack of real conversation and understanding of what pressures and tolls being an overnight ‘poster girl’ was like for me. Especially when that empowerment and boldness that I was known for and supposedly encouraging wasn’t quite so true for me in my own career.
Who is Ella Hooper 2025 inspired by?
I’m still the same idiosyncratic kid inside, always a step ahead of or behind the trends, haha.. I love being in the bush, poetry, and country music, especially the incredible women leaders in that genre who are still showing us how it’s done with class and impact in their 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and beyond. Joan Armatrading just released an absolute edgy cool AF banger of an album in her 70’s! What a queen.
Cassie and Ella, all grown up
What impact do you think ROAR FEST will have on the music industry?
It’s my hope that it becomes a staple and only grows and grows, becoming a much looked forward to fixture on the melb music landscape and then Aus wide.. The best impact / outcome would be the normalisation of all female crews, more women on all lineups, not as a special occasion but just as a matter of course. I think growth in respect is what we want too, not just in the music scene, but right across society, we need to see the epidemic of violence against women decline and we need increases in respect and safety. Events like this and IWD are important reminders and chances to talk about this.
Who are you looking forward to seeing live at ROAR FEST 2025?
Well that’s impossible to say on a lineup this stacked!!!! I am particularly proud of some ex-students who are now making waves and joining the line up on the Friday, like wonderful Gloria who performs as Wild Gloriosa. And of course seeing Gab Cilmi comeback from the UK is super exciting. I’ve never seen her perform so I’m looking forward to that! Then we have Doko and Ceberano who ALWAYS bring the fire!
What do you hope to see for the future of women in music?
More equality, more opportunities, more respect!
I want CROWDS to vote with their feet and get out and support women in live music by BUYING A TICKET!
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The inaugural ROAR FEST Celebrating Women in Music will take place across St Kilda on the Labour Day long weekend – 8 to 9 March 2025. For further information, go to: roarfest.com.au
