Taking over the sunny, vibrant Cronulla beaches this November, Australian Music Week is Australia’s most accessible grassroots music industry conference. Featuring a mixture of local and international acts, award-winners and promising new talent, this week’s first artist announcement paves the way for music discovery and bloody good times. With over 150 live showcases, 20 panels and masterclass workshops and industry knowledge from insiders who live and breath music, there is plenty to grab your attention – and still a lot to be announced, with only the first 30 live acts to perform announced here.
While artist applications have been extended to 7th September, here are our picks of 5 acts from the first announcement that you should get excited about!
St Joan
If you haven’t listened to this Sydney trio’s refreshing, up-beat and raw track ‘First Blood’ than I’d recommend you get right onto it. Vibrant and full of passionately honest lyrics teamed with an indie-pop beat that’s bound to get you moving, these boys are one’s to be watched. In a league of their own, the dynamics in this band are powerful and mark them as a must see live act.
Luvia
Ethereal and breath-taking, Luvia’s vocals live in a different world. Gut-wrenching and powerful, her voice is bound to send shivers down spines. Drifting through the air with her soft, indie-pop storytelling, the Brighton based singer-songwriter is a mixture of Lana Del Ray with hints of Stevie Nicks. Unmissable? Absolutely.
Veronica Fusaro
An exciting addition to the Australian Music Week lineup, Veronica Fusaro (pictured) hails from Switzerland; however, the pop singer-songwriter’s music is other-worldly. Modern and revitalising, her music has won various Swiss music industry awards and it will be no surprise if this international act finds herself hitting global stages soon.
Lost Tropics
Straight from the southern beaches of Sydney, this 6 piece indie-rock outfit are an explosive and vibin’ Australian Music Week addition, who will be sure to appeal to fans of highly regarded bands like DMA’s and Ocean Alley. Influenced by the likes of The Strokes, their pop elements and catchy choruses teamed with a crisp, psychedelic surf-rock sound show them to be a band to keep an eye on. With a reputation for youthful energy on stage, this band are thoroughly worth devouring live.
Ella Fence
Mellow and brooding, this dark-pop queen with a knack for hypnotic vocals is one artist you need to start getting excited about. With an alluring and smoky voice much like her influences of Lorde and Halsey, this is one artist who is bound to erupt big onto the music scene. A soulful darkness to get lost in, her cinematic tunes are easily ones to become enamoured with.
Here’s the complete first artist announcement:
Amaru Tribe
Angus Dawson
Arna Georgia
Ben Leece
Christie Lamb
Chymes
Dan Parsons
Ella Fence
Fripps & Fripps
Harry Heart
Hawksley Workman (Canada)
Hot Wax
Jaguar Jonze
James Thomson
James Van Cooper
Jess Spahr
Kingston County
Little Georgia
Lolo Lovina
LOST RAGAS
Lost Tropics
LUVIA (UK)
Mason Rack
Peta Caswell
Planet
St Joan
Sydnee Carter
Tori Forsyth
Tracy McNeil & The GoodLife
Veronica Fusaro (Switzerland)
Australian Music Week runs from the 7th to the 11th of November. For further information and ticketing, head to the official AMW website HERE.
