Created in partnership with Mentos
The future of Australian R&B looks bright with artists like TANISHA leading the charge.
Blending contemporary R&B with subtle UK influences, the QLD-based singer-songwriter has carved out a sound that’s intimate, lush, and emotionally unfiltered. Breakout singles “Reprieve” and “Satisfy” helped establish her as one to watch, with both tracks surpassing one million streams, while “Satisfy” also became one of Instagram’s official Top 50 trending sounds.
TANISHA’s momentum has been building steadily. She has taken home Release of the Year at the Gold Coast Music Awards, was named a finalist in both the 2026 APRA Development Awards and the Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition, and has shared stages with the likes of Macy Gray, Larissa Lambert, and TORA.
Now, she is back with “Never Notice”, her first fully self-produced release, marking another step forward for one of the country’s most exciting emerging voices.
The Mentos Fresh Sounds Class of ’26, curated by Rolling Stone AU/NZ, has officially been unveiled — and now we’re turning the spotlight to even more artists making serious noise. As part of our Up-And-Coming Australian Artists series, we caught up with TANISHA to talk about self-producing, finding her voice, and where Australian R&B is headed.
Rolling Stone AU/NZ: Where are you from?
I grew up in a little country town in the Southern Highlands called Bargo. My grandparents immigrated to Australia from Sicily.
Describe your ‘Fresh Sound’ in three words.
Lush, buttery, emotional.
Name three of your biggest musical influences.
Three is way too hard! Honestly, I have so many for different reasons…
For vocalists and songwriting, it would be Yebba, Adele, and Mariah Carey, while live performance influences are definitely Fleetwood Mac and Queen. I’m also inspired by Mac Miller, Frank Ocean, and D’Angelo for their musicality.
Tell us about your latest release.
“Never Notice” is the first song I’ve fully produced on my own for a release. It was written in NZ with ProdbyAstro & Edyonthebeat. I love it so much because my band played on the final record and the song itself has so much character.
A week after the release, I took a side trip from London to Monaco to create social media content inspired by the lyric, “probably should have brought a boat, and sailed off to Monaco”.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be?
Yebba.
What’s your dream venue to play?
The Royal Albert Hall or Wembley Stadium.
What one thing do you think the Australian music industry needs right now and why?
I feel like the Australian music industry needs to nurture more of the live R&B/soul music community that isn’t based off covers and also isn’t limited by what circle you are in, if you are signed or unsigned or by what point you are in your career.
Every time I go to LA or London I’m reminded of how important those artist-development spaces are. London especially has weekly live music nights where singers, songwriters, and musicians come together to perform original music, collaborate, and grow in an environment that isn’t driven by ego. Its great for artists to connect with musicians and vice-versa.
I think it also comes down to Australian audiences not knowing where to turn to for that kind of community. International R&B/soul artists have no problem selling tickets when they come here, so the issue isn’t that there’s no market, I just think Australians don’t know where to go to find it when its homegrown.
I am hopeful though, I can feel it changing.
What’s coming up for you in 2026 and beyond?
I just got back from a huge writing and development trip in LA and London so working on all of that music. I’ve also got BIGSOUND in September which is going to be lots of fun, showcasing at Wonderland Brisbane on Tuesday, September 1st 7.30pm – 8.00pm and at Black Bear Lodge on Thursday, September 3rd 10.30pm – 11.00pm. I’m also working on developing an international writing camp next year to be able to bring over Grammy nominated and winning producers I’ve worked with to Australia and make it accessible for our homegrown talent. I want to bring session musicians and writers in and just make heaps of music with no pressure.
I’ll also be opening up rounds six and seven of my Artist Mentorship program.
I guess what’s in-store beyond – everything I hope! An international tour, lots of music, lots of live shows, lots of collaborations in studio, and building a huge online community where everyone feels seen and valued.
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A Rolling Stone AU/NZ-backed music launchpad, the inaugural Mentos Fresh Sounds Class of ’26 was created to support the next generation of talent. Head to the Mentos Fresh Sounds Hub to learn more about our official Class of ’26.
