ABOUT

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 and 2024 and for Best Folk Work 2024 by Music Victoria for his album "Spiral Bound".

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 two UK tours of 2024 culminating with standing ovations and sold out shows. 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 hundreds of 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 320,000 streams on Spotify.

2024 Highlights

July/August 2024

UK Tour 2 - 13 gigs including sold out Concerts Australia shows in Dublin & Liverpool
Cambridge Folk Festival, Den Stage
BBC Radio interviews and playing live: Cornwall & Liverpool
Supported folk star Katherine Priddy at Thorington Theatre
Nominated for Music Victoria "Best Folk Work" 2024
Finalist Folk Alliance Australia "Folk Artist of the Year Solo"

March 2024

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

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

2023 Highlights

Jan 2023

Feb 2023

Mar / April 2023

June/July/Aug 2023

Extensive travel in Canada to gain experience working on sound stages at large festivals

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

Dec 2023

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

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

2018

2017/18

2013 -2016

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

2015

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