Mountain Creek: There’s no experience necessary and it’s simply about enjoying music. The all-female pub choir, She Sings, is gaining popularity on the Sunshine Coast. Founder and creative director Lucy Ravenwood (pictured below) spoke to YELO music editor Penny Brand.

*Limited tickets are available to She Sings on November 3 at The Lakehouse, Mountain Creek, but be quick because sale ends tomorrow!

What is She Sings? 

It’s the girl’s night out you didn’t know you needed! She Sings is an all-women’s sing-a-long event where we belt out one classic song after another. I lead the night on vocals and piano, but everyone sings along together. No talent or experience needed.

We’ve welcomed hundreds of women through the door, and generally have 100+ women in the room at each event – so there is safety in numbers!

How did it all start? 

In 2017 I was visiting friends in London and we attended a fantastic pub sing-a-long in Crouch End. I walked out at the end of the night feeling like a million dollars – I have always loved singing solo and in choirs, playing piano etc, but it had been SO long since I’d had a night out singing with a room full of people. It got me thinking that most adults don’t have many opportunities to do that anymore – and that we’re missing out! 

Pub Choir have obviously done amazing things and become incredibly popular, but I was keen to come up with a bit of a different model and to offer that in regional areas on a more regular basis.

How long have you been running these events? 

In 2019, in the midst of the last horrendous drought in Australia, I founded Belt Out the Big Dry which was a free pub sing-a-long event in my hometown of Gunnedah, New South Wales. The idea was to bring the community together to take some time out from the drought and the response was fantastic. 

When Covid hit I came up with the idea for She Sings and launched it in May, 2022, on the Sunshine Coast. We’re now gearing up for our sixth show on the Coast on November 3 at The Lakehouse.

Do you live on the Sunshine Coast? 

Yes, my husband Mike and I moved here five years ago for my work, and we love living in Buderim with our littlies Lily, two, and Richie, three months.

Are these events a permanent fixture here? 

As long as the people keep coming, absolutely! We have some exciting plans in the pipeline for 2024 and I can’t wait to announce those in the coming months. Local music royalty Andrea Kirwin (pictured below) played with us one night and she was amazing.  She Sings will certainly look to feature more local talent in our 2024 events!

Have you always loved music? 

I have, and am so fortunate to have grown up in a musical family. I was six when l began piano lessons, I sang in our school choirs from kindy to year 12, and was one of 60 kids to be offered a spot in Australia’s national children’s choir, Gondwana Voices, in 1999. Through uni I played piano in a band, and lead our music ensembles at college. Through a large part of my career as an event manager, I programmed music for in-venue entertainment at major sporting events, with a couple of highlights being the Rugby World Cup 2011, Swimming/Diving at the London 2012 Olympic Games. And now, I love being able to offer something a bit different to the women in my local community.

What are your fave songs to sing in this type of setting? Why?

We have a list of solid favourites, and some surprise hits that bring out the best in everyone – I love those! We do everything from Tina Turner to Taylor Swift, Adele to Abba, Queen to Celine, and everything in between!

Why do you love what you do? 

I love bringing people together and knowing that through this event, we can make a positive impact on women in our community.

I also love that together we can reignite a love of music where many of us have forgotten the simple joys that it brings.

And, it’s my own creative outlet – we all need our own outlets and interests that contribute to making us the best versions of ourselves, and this is one of mine.

Why do people love these events? 

Our attendees love that She Sings is just for the girls – you can just be yourself, there’s safety in numbers, and I think a lot of people are surprised by the incredible high that singing altogether gives us, sometimes for days after the event has finished.

Is there anything else we should know?

We also partner with a charity or local social enterprise at every event – so every time we sing together, we’re doing good for others in our community. So far, the organisations that have benefited from our events in the form of financial contributions or donated goods include the Red Cross, National Breast Cancer Association, Sunny Street/One Bridge and Lily House. 

Limited tickets are still available for the last She Sings for 2023 on November 3 at The Lakehouse, 15 Freshwater St, Mountain Creek.

Ticket sales end October 29 at 6pm: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1127480.