I Heart Songwriting Club, the fittingly-named foundation which aims to give aspiring songwriters the tools they need to reach their songwriting goals, has opened applications for its Level Up Club mentorship.
Since I Heart Songwriting Club launched back in 2014 by singer-songwriter, teacher, and speaker Francesca de Valence as an email-based songwriting exercise, the Club has only grown since. Now, more than 30,000 songs by over 1,500 songwriters from over 30 countries have come about as part of these collaborations, with support, mentorship, and learning tools at the heart of their operations.
Their Level Up Club mentorship emerged from the increasingly-complex nature of the music industry, offering a more structured pathway for artists who seek long-term sustainability in the local scene as opposed to a brief burst of momentum.
Taking the form of a 12-month online mentoring program for songwriters and early-stage artists, it's designed for those above the age of 16 who have written a strong batch of songs and are ready to share them with the world.
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The end result is one which sees musicians clarifying their artistic brand and identity, and arming themselves with music business basics to help them build a strong audience base over the 12-month period. The artists also apply these tools in real-time, with strategies relating to launching singles, albums, tours, and campaigns implemented to coincide with their own professional goals.
"Artists often wait until they feel ‘ready’,” says de Valence, noting artists often hesitate at the moment they need the most help. “But clarity comes through action. The artists who thrive are the ones who commit to learning practical systems behind their creativity."
Previous artists to have taken part in the Level Up Club include Isabel Rumble, who released her 2025 Folk Alliance Australia-nominated debut album by using strategy learned via the program, and has since toured across Europe and the UK.
This year's mentors include de Valence, whose career features co-founding the Whitsundays Songwriter Festival and writing with artists such as Vika & Linda, Wendy Matthews, Tia Gostelow, and more; Australian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and CMC Music Award nominee Gretta Ziller; and songwriter, actor, vocalist, and creative producer Roz Pappalardo, whose work spans solo releases, musical theatre, community artis, and arts leadership,
Applications are open now to musicians of all abilities, races, cultures, genders, from any countries/regions, and of any genre.
Limited places for the 2026 intake of Level Up Club, with applications closing on March 31st ahead of the program's commencement on April 13th.
