Singer, rocker, chair. Sarah McLeod, the heart and soul of The Superjesus, will take centre stage with Australian Women in Music (AWM).
Announced Wednesday, April 9th, McLeod’s appointment as chair is seen as a “natural progression of her deep commitment to advocacy and equity in the music industry,” according to a statement from AWM, organisers of the annual Australian Women in Music Awards.
As chair, McLeod will play a pivotal role in advancing AWM, for which she has been actively involved by serving on the board of directors for the past year, performing at the ceremony, and working alongside founder and AWMA executive producer Vicki Gordon to champion inclusivity and drive meaningful change.
“I’ve spent a couple of years watching Vicki Gordon move and shake this industry to provide opportunities for women and gender-diverse folk,” she comments in a statement.
“Her commitment to inclusivity and equality is nothing short of inspiring! I signed on to the board of Australian Women in Music (AWM) a year ago because I felt it was time to give back to the industry which has kept me afloat for 30 years”.
McLeod burst out of Adelaide and into the public consciousness back in 1994, fronting The Superjesus. Their debut EP, Eight Step Rail, collected two ARIAs, for Best New Talent and Breakthrough Artist – Single, for the song “Shut My Eyes”. Their debut album from 1998, Sumo, peaked at No. 2 on the ARIA Chart and is certified platinum. Follow-up, 2000’s Jet Age, reached No. 5 and is certified platinum, while their third, 2003’s Rock Music, hit No. 14.
The Superjesus disbanded soon after, in 2004, briefly reunited in 2013, and they’re getting the old band back together for a tour mid-year, with national dates locked in for June and July.
Last month, The Superjesus released their fourth full length studio album and first in 20 years. The self-titled collection flew into the top 10 on the ARIA Australian Artist Chart. Now based in Brisbane, McLeod embarked on a successful solo career with the launch of her debut album Beauty Was a Tiger in 2005.
The 2025 Australian Women in Music event will be presented over the two days of October 8th-9th in Meanjin/Brisbane.
“AWM has come a long way, but there’s still so much to achieve,” adds McLeod. “As the new chair, I will be working with the board to address the enormous gender research gap across the sector and focusing on opportunities beyond our Award Ceremony, First Nation’s Showcase, and Conference to see where we can provide more support.”
