We’re creating Australia’s first album of songs by singer-songwriters and poets and we're inviting you to be a part of it.

Since 2014, Borrowed Verse has worked with 17 incredible musicians and poets from around Australia, including acclaimed songwriter Ben Salter and award-winning poet Herb Wharton. Artists are currently working on new songs for the album, including Augie March frontman Glenn Richards and Angie Hart, one of the songwriting forces behind art-pop legends Frente!.

The project has gathered momentum premiering new work for TEDxBrisbane and the Brisbane Fringe Festival, with upcoming feature shows at the Woodford Folk Festival later this year.

Pozible support will contribute primarily to the album’s recording and mixing costs, enabling us to create a unique showcase of Australian poets and musicians. We’ve recorded and mixed two songs for the album, but we still have eight to go!

This album is so much more than a collaboration — it will reimagine the creative worlds of music and poetry. Here's what some of our artists and festival partners have to say about the project:

Artists involved (bios below)

Project timeline

Musician bios

Angie Hart (Frente!)—

Since rising to fame with Melbourne-based alt-pop band Frente!, selling more than a million records worldwide, Angie has release acclaimed solo albums featuring her celebrated, winsome yet playful vocals that pack a lyrical punch.

Glenn Richards (Augie March)—

Winner of the 2007 APRA Song of the Year, Glenn is the songwriter behind one of Australia’s most acclaimed bands, Augie March.

Ben Salter (The Wilson Pickers, The Gin Club)—

A veteran of the Australian music scene, Ben has supported Something for Kate, the Violent Femmes and Augie March. In 2012 he won album of the year at the Queensland Music Awards for ‘The Cat’.

Jessie L Warren—

As a member of a suite of celebrated Melbourne bands, Jessie writes songs about humankind (dead and alive), animal hierarchy, friendship, confusion and the ocean, where she would rather live.

The Stress of Leisure—

A post-punk dance-off in the sub-tropics. Over the course of 5 albums they’ve created music that is “weird and freaky in the most positive ways”, says Dave Graney.

Tom Cooney—

Previously shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize, Tom is soon to release "Future Proof", produced by Lawrence Greenwood (Whitley), a minimally adorned, intimate and honest record.

Dirt Hand—

The solo alias of Melbourne-based songwriter, Arun Roberts. Dirt Hand quickly opened the doors to an opportunity to record his first EP with Sam Cromack of Ball Park Music and an opening support for globetrotting pop-chanteuse Lia Mice.

Alex Bell—

Moved by the captivating hum of the natural world, Alex Bell will soon release his fourth album, in addition to a range of new collaborations with Australian poets.

Poet bios

Herb Wharton—

After working as a stockman, drover and labourer, Herb began writing to tell the stories of his people’s past. Recipient of the 2012 Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature, he has published two novels and a range of poetry.

Matt Hetherington—

Over the last two decades Matt has published his work extensively in Australia and abroad, and has been featured in The Best Australian Poetry and The Best Australian Poems.

Maria Zajkowski—

Published widely in Australia and overseas, Maria is a previous winner of the Josephine Ulrick Poetry Prize and recently contributed to the Grammy-nominated album "Render" by Roomful of Teeth.

Pascalle Burton—

An avant-garde performance-poet musician-lady, Pascalle has performed at venues and festivals in Australia and overseas. Current projects include UN/SPOOL with Nathan Shepherdson, 24 Hour Gym with Tessa Rose and The Stress of Leisure.

David Stavanger – aka Ghostboy – is the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde of Australian poetry. He is also a lapsed psychologist. In 2014, he released his first full-length collection of poetry, The Special.

Samuel Wagan Watson—

Multi award-winning poet and professional narrator and storyteller, Samuel has now published six volumes of poetry, including the recently released Love Poems and Death Threats.

Any funds over and above our fundraising target will contribute to touring costs in 2017, helping interstate artists participate in high profile festival appearances.

Engaging audiences with poetry-related projects is frequently a challenge. By involving musicians with an existing fan base, we'll be encouraging people to hear something new from an artist they love. In doing so, we'll help poets find new audiences.