At home, Megan is launching her distinct style of bluesy-jazz-pop to a growing and dedicated fan base and media acclaim. In 2004 Megan won an Australian Music Week songwriting award for ‘Lavender Girl’ and in 2005 she received finalist nominations in two categories of the Australian Songwriters Association National Songwriting Contest. In 2005 Megan also performed to a capacity crowd as part of a Jeff Buckley tribute at The Forum theatre in Melbourne and played at Australian Music Week, the Music Managers Forum/ Sonicbids showcase and the PBS fm Festival of Song. In 2006 Megan was awarded an inaugural John Butler ‘JB Seed’ management grant to assist with becoming a self-sustaining artist. She was also chosen to perform at the Byron Bay East Coast Blues & Roots Festival, the Canberra National Folk Convention, the Sydney Metro, and an Elliot Smith tribute at The Corner Hotel in Melbourne. In 2007 Megan was chosen by the Australian Music Office, L.A. to perform in the virtual-reality world of Second Life as part of a hi-tech approach to SxSW. Megan also performed acoustically during ‘Earth Hour’ at Circular Quay in Sydney, illuminated only by candles and with a unique backdrop of the Opera House and Sydney Harbour in semi-darkness. ‘Earth Hour' is Australia's biggest climate change initiative to date and was supported by WWF, the NSW Government and the Sydney Morning Herald. Megan also performed at the Yackandandah Folk Festival and International Women’s Day at the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre in Melbourne.
Abroad, the story began when Megan moved to New York City in 2003. She began performing at venues such as CB Gallery, Arlene’s Grocery and The Bitterend, venues renowned for artists such as Joni Mitchell, Jeff Buckley and Norah Jones. Megan became known as a woman who delivers a powerful live performance with audiences connecting strongly with her energy and dynamic vocals. In 2004 Megan performed a residency at Disneyworld Florida with members of the Australian indigenous act 'Descendance' for the Epcot International Festival. American audiences embraced the unique collaboration of indigenous culture with Megan’s soulful music and the act was voted the Festival’s most popular entertainment. In 2006, with the assistance of Austrade, Megan visited Singapore and Berlin to begin negotiating tour dates and distribution of her debut album Wonderlust.
Wonderlust (Raw Love/MGM) was released in Australia in November 2006. This debut album was recorded in New York with musicians and co-producers associated with Ani Difranco, Norah Jones and Rival Schools who Megan had met and befriended while on the live circuit. Australian reviewers have hailed it “an easy album to fall in love with” (mX, Sydney) and “one of the strongest new releases of 2006” (PBS fm, Melbourne). Songs from the album have been aired locally on Triple J, Triple R, Joy fm and PBS fm and included on the Association of Independent Records Labels’ AIRPlay pop compilation. Internationally, Megan’s songs have been featured on college radio in Montreal and New York City, Windowsmedia.com (Canada), USA/UKsounds.com and Songs for a Better Planet Vol. II.
Megan Bowman will spend 2008 building upon her recognition in Australia, further taking her music to the world and growing her music business as a sustainable artist. Please visit Megan’s site for details.
