Exploring Music and Technology
Tracy Redhead is a versatile musician, composer, researcher, and producer with over 20 years of experience in the music industry, interactive media, and music technology. From her roots as a singer-songwriter to pioneering interactive music projects, Tracy’s career reflects a deep passion for innovation and creativity. She holds a Master of Arts and a PhD in Music. She is currently a Electronic Music and Sound Design lecturer and Chair of Contemporary Popular Music at the University of Western Australia (UWA) Conservatorium of Music, where she combines her passions for teaching, researching, and producing new works.
Tracy’s exploration of interactive technologies in music began with her PhD research in Dynamic Music Making, which laid the groundwork for her groundbreaking work in the field. Her forthcoming book, Interactive Technologies and Music Making: Transmutable Music (Routledge, 2024), exemplifies her ability to merge theory with practice, offering valuable insights through videos and online tutorials for both academic and practical audiences.
Her significant contributions to the music industry are highlighted by her work as project manager and senior researcher for The Economic and Cultural Value of Australian Music Exports ARC Linkage project. This three-year study led to the Born Global industry report and the co-authored book The Music Export Business: Born Global (Routledge, 2021), which have had a lasting impact on policy and industry practices.
Tracy also developed the innovative ‘Semantic Machine’ app, in collaboration with Florian Thalmann, as part of the FAST project, a five-year initiative funded by the UK EPSRC. This app, a dynamic song system using video game software and AI, adapts music in real time based on user data. Her pioneering work in this field was further showcased in her TEDx talk in May 2024. She recently secured funding from the Western Australian Government to finalise the app and conduct a collaborative research trip to Japan.
As an artist, Tracy has released four albums and toured extensively. Her latest project, the electronic duo Rochelle Salt, created with producer Sofie Loizou (Anomie), is generating buzz with their debut single “Out of Control,” which has received high rotation on 2SER in Sydney. This release is the first from their upcoming EP, Aweström, set to launch in 2024.
Tracy’s career is also marked by rich collaborations with influential artists and organisations. She won the European Commission-funded ‘Music Bricks’ incubation award in 2016 and produced The Madness of Crowds performance at the Ars Electronica Festival in Austria. Her involvement in the cutting-edge ‘Performance Lab’ at Music Tech Fest (MTF) in Berlin, alongside bionic pop artist Viktoria Modesta, earned her features in WIRED magazine and documentaries by MIT Media Lab and MTF.
IIn addition to her creative work, Tracy has played a key role in advancing the music industry through initiatives like founding VROOM, an online national touring network for original music, and her work with Melody Management (Hoodoo Gurus) and MusicNSW. Her solo album Walking Home a Different Way, produced by Tim Powles (The Church), was critically acclaimed, receiving 4 stars in the Sydney Morning Herald, with the single “Where it Fits” gaining over 10,000 downloads and extensive radio play across Australia. The album was released by Sydney label Perfect Sun, founded by UK ex-pat Richard Roberts, known for signing PJ Harvey and Stereolab during his time at Too Pure.
Tracy’s work continues to evolve with ongoing projects like the upcoming release of the Semantic Machine app and her new book, demonstrating her unwavering commitment to exploring new frontiers in music and technology.