Overview

Astrid Jorgensen is on a mission to teach the world to sing. But she’s not promising to make anybody better at singing – she simply wants people to feel less ashamed of whatever voice they have. By its very nature, ‘best’ is rare and elusive: you’re not going to get much of it in life. And I sure don’t want to miss out on deeply experiencing the fullness of my one precious existence, searching for the sliver of ‘best’. Average At Best is a powerful, funny, and deeply honest memoir about embracing mediocrity if you want to get anything done. As the creator of Pub Choir® – a global phenomenon that unites complete strangers to connect, laugh, and make beautiful music – Astrid takes you behind the curtain as she unflinchingly stares down her dizzying highs, her crushing lows, and everything in between. Astrid has performed on stages around the world, rubbed shoulders with Prime Ministers and celebrities, and has taught hundreds of thousands of people how to work together in literal harmony. Along the way, she low-key became the best at something, while sometimes feeling the worst. Is that … balance? From almost becoming a nun (seriously) to committing unspeakable crimes against a chip packet, this joyful, inspired debut traverses the divide between confidence and doubt, performance and authenticity. Because most things happen between the extremes. This is an imperfect perfectionist’s account of how all of it counts in the end.  

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9781761634208

Table of Contents

Reviews

‘We all knew she had the music in her. Who knew she had the words? All these beautiful, hilarious, heart-stealing, soul-filling words! This is pure book gold from a rare and glistening national treasure. The raw and wild story behind a global phenomenon – and the best three hours I’ve ever spent inside a pub! The story of an anything-but-average woman who dared to open up her sound hole and let her dreams fly across the world.’ -- <B>Trent Dalton</B>

‘We all knew she had the music in her. Who knew she had the words? All these beautiful, hilarious, heart-stealing, soul-filling words! This is pure book gold from a rare and glistening national treasure. The raw and wild story behind a global phenomenon – and the best three hours I’ve ever spent inside a pub! The story of an anything-but-average woman who dared to open up her sound hole and let her dreams fly across the world.’ -- <B>Trent Dalton</B> ‘Millions of people who’ve attended and watched Pub Choir already know the unmatched electricity that Astrid Jorgensen generates when she conducts. Turns out, she’s just as electric on the page. Hilarious and infectiously giddy, this behind-the-scenes look at a global phenomenon is a companion for life, nothing short of a superhero origin story and contains the most triumphant story involving poo that I’ve ever read.’ -- <B>Benjamin Law, writer and broadcaster</B> ‘On stage, Astrid Jorgensen transforms from introverted music nerd into a choral colossus. In these pages, she is revealed as a beautiful writer who blends heart, wit and insight with rare skill.’ -- <B>Andrew McMillen, author and national music writer at <I>The Australian</I></B> ‘On stage, Astrid Jorgensen transforms from introverted music nerd into a choral colossus. In these pages, she is revealed as a beautiful writer who blends heart, wit and insight with rare skill.’ -- <B>Andrew McMillen, author and national music writer at <I>The Australian</I></B> ‘Astrid is a force of nature. But never has there been a more inappropriately titled memoir. There's nothing average about Astrid Jorgensen.  Her memoir is testament to the fact she's a mix of magic, mayhem and sheer brilliance. I loved every line. For anyone who's ever been curious about the phenomenon that is Pub Choir and the crazy woman waving her arms around at the front of the stage – read this book.’ -- <B>Bec Sparrow, writer, podcaster and co-founder of Birds of a Feather Book Club</B> ‘Astrid Jorgensen is a national treasure – funny, captivating, and wildly talented. Part maestro, part comedian, she’s transformed group singing into a joyous, unforgettable experience that makes everyone feel like they belong.’ -- <B>Sally Hepworth, author of <I>The Good Sister</I></B> ‘Take a joy-filled road trip with Astrid in her Daewoo Matiz, via a nunnery, a few false starts, and some excellent side quests all the way to where she teaches the world to sing. Average at Best is anything but. A sharply observed, at times hilarious and poignant debut. You hold in your hands a book about the joy of letting go.’ -- <B>Frances Whiting, award-winning journalist, columnist and author</B> ‘I have stood in the crowd at Pub Choir as an audience member and been entranced by Astrid’s ability to make a room feel like a single organism. I have stood on stage next to Astrid and experienced the waves of love, trust and joy that flows back at her in gratitude. And now I have read her words, experiencing music through her eyes, and falling in love with my own chosen medium in ways I didn’t know were possible. Astrid Jorgensen is a national treasure.’ -- <B>Ben Lee, Australian musician and actor</B> ‘Astrid Jorgensen turns language into lyrics and stories into symphonies. Bewitchingly brilliant and wildly original. This book sings.’ -- <B>Lise Carlaw and Sarah Wills, podcasters and founders of DISCO CLUB</B>

Author Information

Astrid Jorgensen OAM is a choral conductor, composer, entertainer – and now author – who believes that everybody can sing: not well, but literally. Founder and director of Pub Choir ® and its online adaptation Couch Choir, Astrid is a global leader in communal, accessible music-making. Armed with a razor-sharp wit and an unmatched enthusiasm for collaboration, Astrid has delivered her live, improvised comedy music lessons to hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. Her work has been praised by the likes of Mariah Carey, Kate Bush, KISS, Radiohead and Sir Barry Gibb. Astrid’s ability to enchant audiences and guide untrained singers to musical greatness has featured in international news outlets including BBC World News, The New York Times, Vogue Magazine and NPR as well as on TV shows including Australian Story, Australia’s Biggest Singalong, Spicks and Specks, and The Project. In June 2025 she wowed judge Simon Cowell when she appeared on America’s Got Talent. Under Astrid’s leadership, Pub Choir has raised more than $550,000 for local grassroots charities – a number that continues to climb. In 2020, she was a finalist for Queensland Young Australian of the Year, and in 2024 received the Medal of the Order of Australia for her service to the community as a musical director. Beyond Pub Choir, Astrid is a valued contributor to Australian television, radio and print media. She previously worked as a high-school music teacher, and her original choral works are frequently performed around the world. Astrid lives in Brisbane with her partner Evyn, and a furious chihuahua called Penny.

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