‘You Can’t Treat International Success as a Bonus’: UNIFIED’s Francesca Caldara Unpacks the Success of Thornhill, Ocean Alley & More

Video is one of the most powerful tools artists have to connect with their audience, deepen fandom, and ultimately drive streams. These days, consistency and authenticity matter more than polish.

A great example is Wade Forster, a genuine Australian cowboy who has built a global audience simply by showing up online as himself.

Both Silverstein and Thornhill are great case studies in what it means to be truly global-minded in 2025.

For Thornhill, it’s not just about releasing great music. They’ve worked hard to build a presence that crosses borders. That means touring the US consistently, forging relationships with international artists, engaging in global conversations online, and understanding the nuances of each market.

Silverstein have over 20 years of experience doing exactly that.

The key takeaway for Australian acts is this. You can’t treat international success as a bonus. It needs to be part of your core strategy from the start.

Ocean Alley’s live show is a major force behind their international growth. It’s just such a vibe.

The first time I saw them was at The Viper Room in LA, playing to maybe 80 people, mostly Aussies living or travelling abroad. But they came back, and those 80 brought their mates.

The shows kept growing, and word-of-mouth started to spread.

What’s made the momentum stick is how well their team has captured that live energy online too, through content, fan interaction and storytelling. That combination of showing up in person and backing it up online is what makes their growth feel so organic and unstoppable.

“Confidence” is now officially Gold in Canada, and it’s on the brink of Platinum there as well as Gold in the US.

That’s a huge milestone for any act, especially an independent one. It’s a testament to the power of sustained global touring, music that has lasting appeal, and a fanbase that has followed the journey across borders.

For us, it’s about having the right people in the right seats. For some businesses, that means working with local partners. For others, it means building your own teams in key markets.

At UNIFIED, we’ve focused on creating a global team that shares our values and vision. That helps us stay nimble and remain artist-first in everything we do.

We’re career developers first and foremost – and while it’s not impossible to build a career solely in one territory, your chances of success multiply exponentially when you think beyond your home market.

We’ve seen over and over that when something works at home, it can work anywhere – if you’re prepared to put in the work.

I spoke on How to A&R.

In independent music, you often wear many hats even if your title says just one. But A&R is the hat I’ve worn the longest across my 18+ year career.

It’s the part of the job that brings me the most joy – discovering an artist early, helping shape their vision, and supporting them as they grow into their potential.

I turned a hobby – obsessively listening to music and championing artists I believed in – into a career. That’s not lost on me. And at Community Music, we believe that everyone is an A&R.