Musician and inclusion advocate Elly-May Barnes isn’t afraid to take risks—she’s shaking up the music industry with Headliners.
Elly-May Barnes swung into Happy to talk about her latest project, Headliners, a bold new five-part series airing now on ABC iview.
The show is a celebration of music and inclusion, following Elly-May as she leads the charge to create two bands made up entirely of musicians with disabilities.
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Alongside her are two respected mentors—Tim Rogers (You Am I) and Ella Hooper (Killing Heidi)—who guide the musicians through rehearsals and preparations for the ultimate goal: performing at the Mundi Mundi Bash, one of Australia’s most iconic music festivals in Broken Hill.
Also along for the ride is Elly-May’s dad, rock legend Jimmy Barnes AO, offering advice and inspiration. In addition, Delta Goodrem AM and Ben Gillies (Silverchair) lend their expertise during special master classes on performing for large audiences.
Over seven intense weeks, Headliners captures the journey of musicians, many of whom have never met before, as they work together to take the stage. The series offers an intimate look into the challenges and triumphs along the way, underscoring the message that disability does not define talent.
Narrated by Spicks and Specks host and disability activist Adam Hills MBE, Headliners highlights a critical issue: almost 20% of Australians live with a disability, yet this community is underrepresented in the music industry. “It’s time to change this,” says Barnes.
Headliners is streaming now on ABC iview.
