Dash and Will

Lore & Background

Dash (Charlotte 'Charlie' Thorpe) and Will (Josie De Sousa-Reay) first met in early 1999 at age nine, both starting grade four on the same day at Preshil: The Margaret Lyttle Memorial School. Their early relationship was bitter, with Josie recalling they 'hated each other for quite a few years'. At age twelve, they began performing together, and in year nine (age fourteen) they received a small financial grant to record a professional demo of their original songs. In 2005, Josie's dad spoke to the father of a classmate, Barry Palmer, a Melbourne-based producer and former guitarist with Hunters & Collectors and Deadstar. Palmer contacted the girls, invited them to the studio, and signed them to his production company Gigantically Small; they later signed to Mercury Records through Universal Music Australia.

Dash and Will headlined the 2008 Rock the Schools tour across New South Wales in May, and supported Ben Lee, Matt Costa, and Faker's Nathan Hudson. Their first single 'Pick You Up' was released in May 2008, followed by 'Fighting Over Nothing' in October 2008. They supported British indie rockers The Kooks on their Australian tour in August and September 2008, as well as The Futureheads, End of Fashion, and Van She. They played at Homebake, Falls Festival, and on The Other Stage at Southbound in 2009. In September 2008, their version of The Easybeats' 'Somethin' Wrong' appeared on the compilation 'Easy Fever'. They again supported The Kooks in January 2009 and also supported The Ting Tings. The duo appeared on Australian TV shows including 'Saturday Disney', 'RocKwiz', and 'Spicks and Specks', and hosted four episodes of 'The Go Show' on Nickelodeon. Their debut studio album 'Up in Something' was released in August 2009.

Reader's Guide

Dash & Will represent a notable example of an Australian duo that transitioned from childhood musical partnership to professional recording and touring, achieving national exposure through support slots for major international acts and festival appearances. Their career illustrates the role of personal connections—such as Josie's father's conversation with producer Barry Palmer—in launching a musical act. The duo's ability to secure support tours for The Kooks (twice) and Justin Bieber, alongside appearances on children's and music quiz television programs, demonstrates a broad appeal across age groups. Their debut album 'Up in Something' (2009) and singles 'Pick You Up' and 'Fighting Over Nothing' marked their recorded output. While they did not achieve lasting mainstream prominence, their trajectory from school-age performers to signed artists on Mercury Records highlights the pathways available in the Australian music industry of the late 2000s. Their inclusion on the 'Easy Fever' compilation also connects them to the legacy of The Easybeats. The duo's story is preserved in the context of Australian indie pop and pop rock of the era.

Did You Know?

• Dash and Will first met in early 1999 at age nine and originally 'hated each other for quite a few years'.
• They were signed to Barry Palmer's production company Gigantically Small after Josie's dad spoke to Palmer.
• Their version of The Easybeats' 'Somethin' Wrong' was released on the compilation 'Easy Fever' in September 2008.