Triple J Unearthed Announces New Music Director: ‘It Feels So Surreal’

Triple J Unearthed officially has a new Music Director.

On Friday (May 30th), the radio station announced that Claire Mooney will take on the gig following the departure of Dave Ruby Howe after a 13-year stint, who has since moved into the role of Deputy Content Director at triple j.

Mooney started in the Unearthed team in 2017 as the Australian Music Producer. In 2020, she joined the triple j team as Group Music Programmer and Producer, before moving into the triple j Assistant Music Director role in 2021.

“I am so excited to officially be stepping back into the triple j Unearthed team as our new Music Director! It feels so surreal,” Mooney told The Music Network.

“Unearthed has been my home for years, there is nothing more exciting to me than finding and breaking that new artist everyone has to know about before anyone else and there is nothing more important or more rewarding than nurturing, celebrating and developing up and coming talent in this country – because we aren’t short of it.”

Mooney said the Unearthed team – made up of Tommy Faith, Sara Glaidous, Jerry Agbinya and Anika Luna – is one of the most hardworking and important in the country for Australian music.

“I can’t wait to continue the legacy that has built Unearthed to what it is today (thank you Dave Ruby Howe!) and expand that too,” she said.

“We’ve got exciting things in the works!”

ABC’s Head of Music Emily Copeland, added: “Claire is an incredibly passionate supporter of Australian music, and this passion was evident with the local acts she supported over the past few years as Assistant Music Director at triple j.

“With her move to Music Director, Unearthed, I feel that both the ABC and the local music industry are very lucky to have someone as driven and excited as Claire to continue to uncover and champion new Australian music and artists.”