Astrid Jorgensen is on a mission to teach the world to sing. But shes 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: youre not going to get much of it in life. And I sure dont 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 perfectionists account of how all of it counts in the end.
Recenzijos
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 Ive 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. -- Trent Dalton
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 Marian Carey, Kate Bush, KISS, Radiohead and Sir Barry Gibb. Astrids 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, Australias Biggest Singalong, Spicks and Specks, and The Project. In June 2025 she wowed judge Simon Cowell when she appeared on Americas Got Talent. Under Astrids 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.
