Courtney Barnett

Songs about gardening-induced anxiety attacks, self-doubt, house-hunting, and realizing you’ve had it up to here with that office job perfectly encapsulate the ordinary, especially when coupled with Barnett’s cool and unassuming delivery style.

And the thing about unassuming people is that sometimes they really surprise you.

Barnett only recently released her debut album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, to critical acclaim. She started getting attention in 2013 for two EPs and her first U.S. performance during CMJ Music Marathon.

The Windish Agency’s Marshall Betts was representing Barnett and thought CMJ was a good place to introduce her in a nonthreatening way. “It was really early on in her career – she’d never left Australia at that point and really had barely left Melbourne or the town that she lived in,” he told Pollstar.

Press from CMJ generated enough momentum to bring Barnett back a few months later for a run in small rooms. Major festivals started calling for slots on the summer circuit in 2014.

Betts said demand is huge for Barnett, who also does a ton of touring in Australia, the U.K., and Europe. While she is a bit of a homebody, she’s willing to put the work in.

Barnett was selling out 1,000-cap rooms last year, but she’s now moving into 2,000- to 3,000-capacity venues. Summer will bring more festival dates and Betts said he’s working on packaging opportunities in the fall with larger venues.

“We’re just trying to get her in front of as many people as possible because she’s amazing live,” he said. “I’m hoping to convert people from the live aspect as well as the great reviews she’s received.”