Musician. From Melbourne, Australia. Various genres.

Darling James is the moniker of Melbourne-based songwriter/producer James O'Brien. Originally used as a vehicle for tracks pieced together in late night bedroom recordings while touring as a sideman for other acts, O'Brien quickly developed the idea into a full-time project complete with a blistering three-piece live band.
No stranger to the Australian music scene, O’Brien has delved into many projects since he first came to attention with seminal Brisbane-come-Melbourne indie darlings The Boat People. With O’Brien as co-frontman and songwriter The Boat People had eight triple j high rotation singles from three acclaimed albums that also made their mark on Los Angeles’ KCRW and the UK’s Radio 1. The Boat People travelled to the U.S. no less than six times (playing SXSW twice) toured the UK multiple times and played on home soil at the likes of Big Day Out, Woodford Folk Festival, Valley Fiesta, Sunset Sounds and support slots for artists such as David Byrne, The Shins, Powderfinger, Crowded House, Washington, Tim Rogers and Augie March.
Beyond this list, O’Brien co-wrote and sung YesYou’s breakout radio hit ‘Half of It’ in 2011 and worked as side man in the much-lauded Machine Translations with whom he has toured nationally multiple times. Working as bassist for Kate Miller-Heidke, O’Brien performed at Splendour In The Grass and Southbound as well as tours in Australia and overseas.
Late 2016 saw the release of Darling James' debut E.P. Theory of Mind. First single, the mesmerising, sizzling ‘Ultimatum Talk’, was added to rotation on triple j and has knocked up over 125,000 plays on Spotify. Sold-out hometown shows and interstate tours followed including spots with Olympia, The Church, Dan Kelly and Ella Hooper. Darling James earned kudos from Wally De Backer (Gotye) while single ‘God’s Graffiti’, featuring a mix of exotic instrumentation over a head-nodding dance beat, was promptly added to rotation on Double J.
Darling James’ second E.P. MOOD EYES was released in August 2018 and saw O’Brien turn up the high-key-pop dial a notch or two while unapologetically showcasing his furrowed-brow-but-fun take on song writing and production. Single ‘Silver Bullet’ received rotation on Double J and a national tour followed as well as a residency and Melbourne’s famed Cherry Bar. 
Now Darling James releases his new single ‘Thinking What You’re Thinking’, a whip-smart take on current events, childhood and old allegiances that sees O’Brien question past assumptions with a twinkle in his eye all wrapped up in his signature bent pop production.

Management:
Rick Chazan - rick@groundcontrolmusic.com

It dat boi; here is a page dedicated to the couple of things I have laying around in my musical attic - if music could have an attic. If you like what you hear, follow me on Instagram, FaceBook or YouTube! :D

A light heart, a deep soul and a big sound.  Champagne Jacket is the moniker of UK born, Naarm based Jack Lewis. From a wandering past, his songs explore diverse perspectives: the arrested teenager, the “other” woman; and the ancient, cynical pebble.   A flightless move to Australia led to creating acclaimed comedy series scores and a re-launch as Champagne Jacket in 2021 with modern blues classic "Walls of China".  In 2023 scored the Apple chart topping podcast "Starship Q Star" and is releasing pop-funk banger "Sarah", the first single of his upcoming EP.

Amelia Allan is an indie folk singer-songwriter based in Naarm/Melbourne. Her clear and distinctive voice evokes a nostalgic reference to suburban living in Australia. Both intimate and accessible, her songwriting captures those fleeting, seemingly mundane moments of our everyday lives and transforms them into the significant. Drawing her knack for candid songwriting from Julia Jacklin, Stella Donnelly and Courtney Barnett, Amelia’s accomplished debut EP, Won't Miss You, due for release July 6, produced and engineered by Alex O’Gorman (Angie McMahon, Hannah Blackburn, BATTS), provides a snapshot of her past few years living in Melbourne. Born in NSW and raised in Northern Ireland, where she learned to play the drums, Amelia has always surrounded herself with music. “I have vivid memories of sitting with mum in the kitchen while she cooked and practised her vocals. She used to play these cassettes that she’d recorded her weekly singing lessons on, and I’d join her, singing along to the vocal warmups with her in the kitchen.” Amelia has since gone on to complete a Music Degree, Majoring in Songwriting, and has performed in venues across Melbourne, including The Espy, The Workers Club and Brunswick Ballroom.

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