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!

Byron Knott from indie-rock outfit COLTER studied CUA40920 Certificate IV in Music (Business)*.

COLTER is the diverse, ambitious and charismatic indie rock/brit pop band hailing from Adelaide. After releasing their first hit ‘Best Shirt’ in mid-2021, and playing a series of sell-out shows across the city, COLTER has made a name for themselves as “one of Adelaide’s most exciting new outfits”. In 2022, the band released their debut EP ‘Life Of The Party’ with a packed show at The Lab.

Q & A

What was the highlight of your experience studying with MusicSA?
It was such a great opportunity for me to meet like-minded musicians trying their absolute hardest to pursue their dreams. That would have to be my biggest takeaway from the course. Just surrounding myself with other people in the exact same boat, doing everything possible to achieve something meaningful through their music. The connections I made during my time at MusicSA have been incredible for COLTER and I still contact my old classmates and teachers for advice whenever I find myself at a crossroads with a difficult, industry decision.

Since starting COLTER, what has been your most proud achievement?
Something I’m immensely proud of since starting COLTER is the fact that we’ve been fortunate enough to play to sell-out crowds at all of the events that we’ve hosted. You can’t help but feel proud of that “Sold out” email when so much work goes into organising and promoting the event. We’re really lucky to have a fanbase that is always super keen to experience our shows every time we play.

What advice would you give to someone starting their journey in the music industry?
My advice to anyone starting out would be to follow your own path. In this industry, there are a billion different ways to make it, and none of them are wrong. Another band’s path to success may not work for you, and vice versa, so play to your strengths and make yourself known. Another word of advice I would give is to not get too comfortable. A general rule I try to follow is to change it up from time to time to keep things interesting. Whether it be a new genre of song I’m writing, a new image for the band, or a more fun way to play an older tune, it helps you learn new tricks and keeps an audience interested.

What do you love most about the Adelaide/South Australian music scene?
My favourite thing about the ADL music scene is how small it is, yet how large it feels. It’s such a supportive little city, which makes it the perfect spot for growing an audience, without getting drowned out by all the noise of a larger city. Once you get your foot in the door in the ADL scene, there are so many supportive characters who want nothing but the best for you, which is such a nice change of pace from other, more competitive industries.

Tell us about your latest project.
We have recently released our debut EP “Life of the Party ” which is our largest project to date. We recorded five songs that are a mix of crowd/band favourites, and we’re really happy with how well it’s been received since its release. One of the larger singles off the EP “Fountains” is about to get its own film clip, which is a super fun and light-hearted video, and should be out very soon, so keep an eye on our socials for that. We are also working on releasing a few more singles early in the new year, so there’s plenty of new music on its way.

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

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