Inside Glendenning’s Common House warehouse studio, known as one of the Area's most treasured creative hubs, a night of live R&B and hip hop resides. A collaborative project with Western Sydney-based booking agency New Gen Artistry, the Reg Rug Sessions have quickly become one of the most prominent platforms for R&B and hip-hop in Australia.
In between the ambient lighting, cosy interior and impeccable sound, you’d think that the Red Rug Sessions were brought to life by a large team. In actuality, it’s the pride and joy of the small but impactful Common House team, and industry figure Cathy Nguyen.
Music has always been Cathy’s first love, manifesting itself through her career as a music teacher; a role she still holds down today. Unbeknownst to her at the time, music teaching helped build the foundations of what would soon become New Gen Artistry.
“It all started off with one of my high school students in Year 12. She struggled at school, but was a really good singer. I asked her what her plans were for after school, and she didn’t know. So I asked if I could manage her to try and book her some gigs, because she was super talented, and I wanted to show her a career path. I got her regular gigs at Saigon Hustle (a now-closed bar & restaurant in Smithfield) and soon became the Entertainment Manager there. From there, I started booking all of the R&B artists in Sydney, and that's how New Gen Artistry started as a booking agency,” Cathy said.
While she looks back on the years spent in classrooms, amongst bright-eyed and motivated students, with fondness, she admits that teaching began as a “backup plan”.
“Obviously, it's the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. I wouldn't be the person I am today without being a teacher. I love being a teacher and I love my kids. But I’ve always had dreams and goals to be in the music industry, I just didn't know how to do it,” she said.
“Teaching allows me to have a stable income. I’ve always said that I’ll teach as a stable job, and find something in the music industry to do on the side. I never knew what, I just knew that I wanted to be involved.”
That taste for more comes from Cathy’s innate motivation to provide worthy opportunities to those around her. That, and a willingness to throw things at the wall and see what sticks.
“I'm winging everything,” she said. “I’m doing things because it sounds and feels good. My mission statement now is to keep developing and providing opportunities and shining a light on emerging Australian artists in the R&B and hip hop category specifically,”
“If you asked me what the vision was when I first started, the vision was to be the best agency out of Western Sydney. But now, the vision is to be the best agency in the world.”
The Red Rug Sessions isn’t Cathy’s first attempt at pushing Australian R&B and hip-hop to the forefront. In 2023, New Gen Artistry hosted a show inside of the Star Casino’s now-closed Rock Lily. With a lineup that boasted some of the best in West Sydney’s R&B and hip-hop worlds, including Jess Jade and Raf Receipt, the show saw 350 people in attendance, with many of those present still coming up to Cathy years later to reminisce on the night. For Cathy, these conversations make her determined to put on an even better show.
“When I was setting up my first show, I was still figuring out the recipe. Putting on a show for original artists is very difficult. Making the Australian public enjoy or want to go out and buy a ticket for an original, local artist is very, very difficult. So I had to think about how to make these shows digestible and enticing for the everyday person,” she said.
“I focus on the little stuff. No silences in between sets. I make sure that the venue is the right venue, that there are chairs around for people to sit, because I’m someone who hates standing all night. The little stuff that people don't think about, you have to think about. It all accumulates into a good show. If you create a great experience, people will want to go back because they know it's a good time and they get to discover new music. I also incorporate cover bands because all I'm trying to do is champion local artists no matter what, even if they only do covers,”
“I always make sure that the artist sounds good. It's so easy for a booking agent to book someone with a limited budget, and say, "We're just going to do backing tracks". This is why I still have my full time job. I'm forking out this money to make sure that these artists sound the best that they possibly can. I just want the opportunity to be shown in the best way, so that the artists aren’t suffering through awkward silences and backing tracks. All of the little things are important.”
New Gen Artistry has been up and active for over four years now, and there’s only one distinct direction for Cathy - forward. Not only for her, but for those wanting to be part of the movement and help catapult Western Sydney musicians to the world.
“I'm excited to build a sustainable platform where I can be financially stable off of doing what I love,” Cathy said.
“We've done this for many years and we've seen people fall off the bandwagon because you don't make money from this until something pops off or you're able to get sponsorships or funding. But I'm hoping to make a sustainable business for myself and have employees, that's my biggest goal,”
“I want to create a thriving R&B, hip-hop community and see our local acts be recognised on an international scale. And how do we do that? We need more platforms like mine. We need more journalists, more people reviewing songs. I'm training my intern right now, not for a specific position, but to do many things and be a better version of myself. Because if you win, I win.”
Common House & New Gen Artistry’s 4th Red Rug Sessions happens this Saturday, 27 September at Commonhouse Glendenning from 7pm, featuring RISSA, DOOFus & Lady King. Find more details and tickets here. For artist support, resources and more information on New Gen Artistry, you can reach Cathy Nguyen here.
Images by Justin Cueno & Steady.
Written by MusicNSW Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Adele Luamanuvae.