In the lead up to our 2023 courses, MusicSA will be highlighting some incredible local talent who also happen to be alumni of our VET and short courses!

Dan Holland (vocals/guitar) of indie-rock group Busseys studied CUA40920 Certificate IV in Music*.

Hailing from Kaurna Land, indie rock group Busseys are known to play instruments and make noises with their breath. Their first release ‘Crystal Gazer’ quickly gained a following in Adelaide, helping them share the stage with Aussie acts such as Spacey Jane (WA), British India (VIC), Mosquito Coast (WA), and Aussie favourites Lime Cordiale (NSW).

Through their EP Pyjama Party and follow up singles Breakfast and Pretty Mind, the group has established a dynamic and energetic sound with their vibrant indie anthems.

Q & A

What was the highlight of your experience studying with MusicSA?
For me the highlight of the experience was all of the diverse discussions we had as a group! Every week we’d have great chats about various aspects of the industry, or whatever was happening in the Aus scene at that time – I felt like I learnt so much from Kim and Matt (who both led the course at different parts of the year), as well as the diverse perspectives of my peers in the course.

Since starting Busseys, what has been your most proud achievement?
I think I am most proud of the show we played in Perth in September (supporting Old Mervs)! We have been working hard as a band since we began gigging in 2018, and it felt fantastic to play to a big energetic crowd outside of our home state – looking around the stage during our set, I felt so much love and appreciation for the rest of the band members (Stella, Xav, and Brock).

What advice would you give to someone starting their journey in the music industry?
My advice to anyone starting out would be to play plenty of gigs, be open and kind to people, and try to learn and take inspiration from those around you! If you have a song that gets some attention or play some cool gigs, that is great. But keep yourself humble and continue to play and record music and learn – taking yourself too seriously can allow you to put yourself in a box and stagnate.

What do you love most about the Adelaide/South Australian music scene?
I love that it is small enough that you can make connections with people in the scene quickly, yet it is still ever growing and diversifying. It’s a smaller pond than other big cities, so easier to make a splash, but still big enough to give you the opportunity to support bigger interstate acts.

Tell us about your latest project.
We are currently working on our debut album. We feel like we are bursting with ideas and creativity, so we want to create a body of work that we are proud of. Our goal is to have fun making the LP and explore song ideas without trying to unnecessarily make tracks ‘radio material’ – after this project we will likely put a bigger focus on radio and playlist servicing, but for now it’s solely about putting a cool album together! It’s being slowly recorded as we accumulate the funds, so we hope it can be released by mid/late 2023.

Expressions of interest are now open for our 2023 VET courses here.

*CUA40920 Certificate IV in Music is delivered under a third party arrangement with the COSAMP – RTO Code: 41549. The AQF certification will be issued by COSAMP.