Astrid Jorgensen was on the verge of becoming an air traffic controller when a school called with an offer: run their choir on measly pay, for 500 teenagers who didn’t care. Not exactly a dream job, but she said yes anyway.  

Staring down that sea of bored teenagers, Astrid realised she knew exactly how to win a room — how to move, when to crack a joke, how to get even the most apathetic kids to sing.  

And if she could get kids to sing, could she do the same with adults? She turned up at a pub - lyric sheets in one hand, a pint in the other - and taught complete strangers to sing in three-part harmony.  

Pub Choir was born. And it exploded. 

But then COVID hit and live music collapsed overnight.

From Kate Bush sing-alongs to America’s Got Talent, Astrid is now one of Australia’s most successful live performers.  

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Astrid Jorgensen is the creator of Pub Choir and her book is Average at Best. 

Curveball features compelling conversations with leaders about life’s messy moments! It’s a production of Deadset Studios. 

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This episode was produced by Unity Jackson-Muir, editing by Luci McAfee. Kellie Riordan is host and Executive Producer. 

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Country on which this podcast is made, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s first storytellers. 

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