For the most powerful heads within the music industry in the Southern Hemisphere, the 21st edition of BIGSOUND is an unmissable date on the calendar. For artists, it’s an amazing opportunity for networking, performing, and potential breakthrough (just ask Tash Sultana and Flume). Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley will be lit up by some of Australia and New Zealand’s most promising acts, with a plethora of industry critics, fans, needle movers, and label representatives crowded its streets in search of the next big talent.
Rolling Stone got to know some of the Class of ’23 better by finding out the BIGSOUND-bound artists they’re eager to see, which you can check out below.
Lola Scott
Scott’s most recent release, “High School Drama”, makes you want to kick the door down. The Southern Highlands native is on her way to BIGSOUND this year after being heavily touted as one to watch within Australian pop, which comes after major success over the last few years with tracks like “i wanted to call her but i’m tragic and she’s overseas (8 months)” and “jogging shoes (the rerun)”.
Despite officially debuting back in 2018 with “Hush”, Scott’s been a music fanatic her whole life, using her spare time at school to write music and play the guitar. And while you can distinctly hear electric guitars throughout her music, she studied classical guitar for a while before making the switch.
Now, she’s amongst artists like Larissa Lambert blazing her own trail in the pop lane, something she hopes to showcase more at her upcoming set at this year’s BIGSOUND. Scott also has hopes to tour in the States, and BIGSOUND could be the beginning of that dream becoming a reality.
Below, Scott lists three other BIGSOUND artists she’s currently digging.
Ruby Jackson
I’ve been following Ruby’s music for a few years now after seeing her performing in a jazz band. Her vocal tone is like something I’ve never heard before and grabbed me straight away.
Tamara & the Dreams
I came across Tamara’s music on TikTok and was drawn in by the blunt storytelling in her lyrics. I love the whole lo-fi DIY vision of the project – all the guitar tones feel very Mac DeMarco-esque.
1tbsp
I don’t usually listen to this genre too much but there’s something in the production of these tracks that my ears find particularly addictive. These tracks have been getting me out of bed for days in a row.
Sophisticated Dingo
Bringing strong energy to the BIGSOUND stage, Sophisticated Dingo are set to take the stage representing Melbourne’s vibrant punk rock scene. Their music has cool elements of surf rock, pop, heavy guitar, and loud instrumentation, but the mixture manages to not be jarring in the slightest.
To Sophisticated Dingo, their music is self described “trash-pop,” and they do indeed produce music that is proudly rough around the edges. They enjoyed a busy 2022 with a national tour which saw them perform six shows in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Wollongong, and Melbourne. More recently, the pair supported Adelaide’s TOWNS on tour earlier this year.
Below, Sophisticated Dingo name five other BIGSOUND artists they love.
DICE
Saw this lot lock down Yah Yah’s in Melbourne with a post-show DJ set for the ages. Not sure it was possible to hold a crowd captive while learning to DJ on stage, but they set the standard in how to do exactly that. Unbelievably keen to see what the live show holds to back up all the deserved hype.
Bec Stevens
“Big Worry” gets the blood pumping. Can’t shake the hooks on this one. Think we’ll be hanging around after our showcase on Wednesday night at SuperFly Studios to catch this one too.
Logan
The Aus prince of pop to be. Heard plenty. Seen nothing (yet). Very keen to lay eyes on the act touted for the enormity laid out before them. Watch this space.
PRETTY BLEAK
Untapped potential. Hardworking and eager to grow. Longing to see what they bring to the table and convert their efforts into their showcases. Their 1975-esque pop earworms could fill stadiums!!!
The Slingers
A band building consistently release after release. One great track after another, their catalogue has built to something perhaps bigger than the noise surrounding them. Looking forward to the culmination of this on stage in The Valley.
DICE
Perth is probably the most underappreciated musical city in Australia. It’s home to a large class of artists who are nothing short of elite, but are often scarce for opportunities due to the WA city’s isolation. DICE might just be Perth’s hottest rising alternative rock band, which means their set at BIGSOUND will be a must-catch. Despite being relatively new, DICE already have an impressive live performance skillset which has been constantly growing over the past 18 months or so.
Forming amongst the COVID-19 lockdown, there wasn’t many opportunities to perform, so when doors opened, they seized every opportunity. Last year saw them play multiple shows a week for months, alongside dropping their Adolescent Arcade EP. So far this year, they’ve released another EP, Time Will Tell, and have continued to amass millions of streams across their discography, and impressively retained their audience with almost 300K monthly Spotify listeners.
Below, DICE name three other BIGSOUND artists they’d like to see.
Sophisticated Dingo
We love the powerful energy that their music conveys and would be great to see in a live setting. Our favourite track of theirs is “Radio On”.
Rum Jungle
We love seeing the Rummy’s live and always have a great time playing shows with them. Their upbeat danceable music always takes control of a crowd. Our favourite track of theirs is “Everything Is Easy”.
The Grogans
They have a special way of getting the crowd to feel the emotion of their music. Their lyrics are so powerful and relatable to the audience. Very wholesome vibe. Our favourite track is “Money Will Chase You”.
