Based on the Bonus Podcast Episode: “Live from the Whitsundays Songwriter Festival: Zipporah Corser-Anu” – The Magic of Songwriting with Francesca de Valence

Francesca sits down with songwriter and artist Zipporah Corser-Anu at the 2025 Whitsundays Songwriter Festival to talk about writing from instinct, learning how to write songs, and how culture and lived experience shape the songs we create.

Zipporah has performance running through her veins. A proud Samu and Suy woman from Saibai Island, she seamlessly blends dance and vocals, carrying a deep connection to culture through everything she creates.

At the fourth Whitsundays Songwriter Festival, Zipporah was part of our songwriter residency, where she co-wrote six songs — including one she performed live at our Concert and Conversation the very next day — and she was a much-loved mentor to the young and emerging songwriters in the region – supporting them to trust their voice to tell their story.

Listen to the full audio experience here, or read on for how you can be part of the 2026 festival. 

One of the most inspiring parts of the Whitsundays Songwriter Festival is watching experienced artists share their craft with the next generation of songwriters.

The festival’s series of songwriting workshops brings together professional songwriters from the festival alongside developing writers from across the region. For many participants, it’s a rare opportunity to sit in a room with artists they admire and learn directly from their creative process.

The workshops are not about formulas or rules. Instead, they open up the real conversations behind songwriting: where ideas come from, how songs evolve, and how writers navigate both creative breakthroughs and creative blocks.

Artists like Zipporah Corser-Anu bring a unique perspective into the room – sharing how performance, movement, culture and lived experience can all shape the songs we write. Participants quickly discover that there is no single path to songwriting, and that each writer develops their own voice through exploration and practice.

The energy in the room is always electric. Ideas are shared freely, songs are started, and connections form between writers who may continue collaborating long after the festival ends.

For the local songwriters, the workshop is often a turning point. It offers encouragement, practical insight, and perhaps most importantly, the feeling that they belong in the world of songwriting too.

Join our 2026 Festival
If you want to be part of the 2026 Whitsundays Songwriter Festival and be mentored by our team of acclaimed songwriters, join us in Airlie Beach, Queensland on June 6. Click here for more information on the festival.