Meet Rolling Stone AU/NZ’s Future of Music

If one looks at the surface, solely the surface, of the Australasian music industry, they might commiserate with emerging artists. 

They’d see that touring is a more costly endeavour than ever, with increasingly fewer venues at which to perform. They’d see that festivals, so long a fertile landscape for an artist to showcase their talent to new fans, are decreasing in number by the week. The titanic Splendour in the Grass was cancelled for this year, as was the popular Groovin the Moo. In New Zealand, Splore and the beloved DIY-driven Welcome to Nowhere are no more.

They’d be aware that in the cutthroat streaming era, it’s a battle to just get one’s music heard amidst the pick-me playlists, the here today, gone tomorrow viral sensations, and the money-backed mediocrities. 

Who’d be an artist today, in other words. But today’s emerging artists, those that somehow slice their way through the digital fuzz and face a collapsing live circuit, are not to be sympathised with but celebrated, simply by the miracle of their existence. If an artist has managed to stand out from an imposingly competitive and crowded field in 2024, well, they deserve all the praise and admiration in the world. 

That’s where the ‘Future of Music’ series comes in.

In conjunction with our global Rolling Stone partners, our editorial team has compiled a list of 25 of the most exciting and innovative artists from Australia and Aotearoa. These are the artists who are destined for the very top. These are the artists who you’ll be hearing a lot from in 2024 and beyond.

Together these artists have won countless awards; they’ve been recognised at the Rolling Stone Australia and Aotearoa Awards, and are likely to be so again; they’ve headlined shows in North America, played to sold-out crowds in their home country, and lit up festival stages around the world.

One has earned the praise of Paris Hilton, another has topped triple j’s Hottest 100 at a startlingly tender age. Some are on their first album, some their second or third, and some have yet to release a debut record at all. A few are keeping guitar music alive and thriving, while others are pushing the boundaries of what we know electronic music to be. While some seem to have appeared in the mainstream consciousness overnight, every one of them had to work tirelessly for years to make it here.

What all these differences are meant to emphasise is that there is no quantifiably right way to become an emerging artist, or be heralded as the ‘Future of Music’. But while there may not be one right way to reach this position, there is a wrong way: not knowing who you are as an artist. What unites all 25 artists in our unranked ‘Future of Music’ series is an unbreakable belief in their music and career, an unbending commitment to their artistic vision.   

Rolling Stone AU/NZ’s ‘Future of Music’

9lives

Did you know that one of the 2020’s most innovative artists hails from humble Hawke’s Bay? Pioneer of the Sigilkore sound, a subgenre that draws on trap, hyperpop, cloud rap, and electronic music, 9lives has caught the attention of US stars like Trippie Redd and Odetari. 

While the current ‘Big 3’ of rap bitterly bicker about their talent in a very public way, 9lives and the new generation of producers quietly go about their business, dropping endless streaming behemoths. 9lives — otherwise known as Max Jardine — already boasts over six million monthly listeners on Spotify, with that impressive figure growing by the week.

Dubbed the “the Metro Boomin of the underground”, 9lives has tapped into a truly modern sound with Sigilkore: a stirring, messy-in-a-good-way, boundless genre-agnostic style.

“In high school, I was like, ‘There’s no way I’m gonna make it out of Hawkes Bay,'” Jardine once pondered, but talent like his will always find a way to be heard.

Angie McMahon

In a country spoiled for choice when it comes to singer-songwriters, Angie McMahon still manages to stand out from her Australian (and global) peers. Her latest album, Light, Dark, Light Again, contained some of the most profoundly moving lyricism of the decade so far. 

It takes a special artist to make you feel less alone in the vastness of the world, but that’s what McMahon achieves in her songs, instilling them with mantras that urge both her and her listeners to relinquish, breathe, and find light through the darkness. We’re lucky to have brave songwriters like McMahon embracing the feelings we’re afraid to face.

Read our 2023 interview with Angie McMahon here.

Brad Cox

Australian country music’s most beloved current performer? It’s very likely.

Brad Cox has been a notable figure in country since his self-titled debut album dropped in 2018, but he took things up a notch on his third album, Acres, a powerful storytelling collection that remained faithful to country while also holding crossover appeal. 

Released last year, Acres brought Cox ARIA nominations, a trio of Golden Guitar wins, and the album also became his first to crack the top 10 on the ARIA Albums Chart. 

Above the timeless music — always belted out through his instantly recognisable booming voice — is Cox’s relationship with his fans that make him stand out. Wherever he performs in Australia, no matter how small the town, he always draws a passionate crowd; people just like Cox, who recognise themselves in his music.

Budjerah

Multiple ARIA Awards before the age of 22. Best New Artist winner at the 2023 Rolling Stone Australia Awards. Ed Sheeran’s stadium tour mate. Budjerah has already conquered Australia, and now the young pop sensation is coming for the rest of the world. 

To discover Budjerah’s singing is to imagine what an older generation of Australians must have felt like encountering John Farnham for the first time: heart-wrenching, soul-stirring voices that will be listened to and remembered for decades to come.

A proudly vulnerable performer, Budjerah’s pleading vocals power his biggest hit to date, “Therapy”, an ode to the importance of real communication in relationships.

As Artist of the Year at last year’s National Indigenous Music Awards, when Budjerah finally unveils his first full studio album, it will be one of the most exciting Australian debuts in recent memory.

Dom Dolla

How do you follow earning your first Grammy nomination? By plotting your biggest-ever Australian tour, of course.

Fred again.. may be the most fancied producer in the world right now, but Dom Dolla isn’t far behind. Every big festival, from Coachella to Tomorrowland, wants one of the world’s most in-demand house producers to grace its stage. 

Dom Dolla — Dominic Matheson to give him his full name — was named Best New Artist at the 2024 Rolling Stone Australia Awards, just reward for a stupendous breakout year in 2023. But the Melbourne-based producer has been steadfastly doing his thing for over a decade now. A slew of ARIA Gold and Platinum singles can be traced back to 2015, and there will be many more to come for Matheson.

Peach PRC

A distinctive pop star that only comes around once in a generation. Beloved by fans for her confessional songwriting and signature style, Peach PRC is primed for global dominance.

And yet she refuses to rest on her laurels. Spurred on by having her debut EP, Manic Dream Pixie, top the Australian charts last year, the viral sensation recently told Rolling Stone AU/NZ she’s now looking towards the future with newfound artistic freedom.

Peach seems to create glistening pop anthems, including new single “Secret” and the Paris Hilton-approved “Perfect for You”, as if it’s the easiest thing in the world to do. But fans know she’s been working tirelessly to hone her skill ever since first blooming on TikTok at the beginning of the decade.

Read our 2023 interview with Peach PRC here.

G Flip

G Flip is the multi-instrumentalist spinning heads worldwide, reinventing solo pop with their drum-focused flair. 

One of the most prominent drummers in modern music, G Flip memorably performed live and played drums at a trio of shows with just one hand due to an injury in 2022, the sort of moment that gains respect and admiration for years.

Their eagerly awaited second album, Drummer (what else would it be called?), lived up to the anticipation last year, overflowing with killer vocals and, of course, mind-melting drumming skills.

G Flip is the drummer marching to their own beat, and more and more people are rightly following behind them.

grentperez

Everything about grentperez feels fresh, from his genre-bending ability to the distinctive falsetto that’s helped him find a unique lane in indie pop.

And the Filipino-Australian artist is barely out of his 20s. A collaboration with Lime Cordiale, a support slot for Rex Orange County, and a North American headline tour are putting the precocious artist on the global map. 

It might be neat to hail someone as a “Gen Z artist,” but grentperez fully fits the bill, handling the jump from bedroom-pop-unknown to international recognition with aplomb.

Read our 2023 interview with grentperez here.

daine

Charli XCX is their mentor, so it’s no surprise daine is Australia’s coolest purveyor of hyperpop.

Praised by Vogue, BBC Radio 1, Kerrang!, NME, and more, the “future emo icon” has a growing collection of irresistibly stylish songs. Their music drifts between genres with ease, pop, metal, and punk notes being wielded with glee.

2023’s shapeless was one of the best EPs released last year, and 2024 is already off to a flyer, with the high-octane banger “SHADES ON” and a support slot for heaving British rockers Bring Me the Horizon on their Australian tour.

Backing all of this is a distinctly DIY ethos and a willing outspokenness on chronic pain and disability. It’s daine’s authenticity and courage to push boundaries that is helping them explode out from the underground. 

JACOTÉNE

Winning triple j Unearthed High doesn’t necessarily guarantee success, but the competition’s past winner track record — Gretta Ray, The Rions, and George Alice — suggests a bright future for the latest winner, JACOTÉNE.

The teenager’s beautiful vocals suggest success, too. Drawing comparisons to iconic vocalists like Amy Winehouse and Adele, JACOTÉNE possesses a voice that stuns and stops, demanding the volume is turned up.

JACOTÉNE (pronounced “jack-oh-teen”) only uploaded her Unearthed High entry, the soulful “I Need Therapy”, days before the competition closed, but she’s glad she did: her future as a mainstay in Australian pop and R&B awaits.

Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers

Canberra-born punk rockers Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers thrive performing both raucous anthems and slow-burning ballads, a not-insignificant loud-quiet blend to have at your disposal in this era of guitar music.

Fuelled by Riot Grrrl inspiration and a whole lot of heart, the band’s 2023 debut album, I Love You, confirmed the hype surrounding the four-piece was real. Their songs flit between 90s-indebted rock, steely punk, and even bubblegum pop, a varied style that led them to secure a support slot for Foo Fighters in Melbourne at the end of last year. 

For all the gusto and vibrancy showcased in I Love You, though, its standout moment is its most vulnerable, when drummer Neve van Boxsel details her reaction to being sexually assaulted. Whether playing or soft or hard, Teen Jesus are empowering as all hell.

Shouse

The Antipodean electronic duo’s retro-disco hit “Love Tonight” became a viral sensation in 2021, a sonic balm during the uncertainty of the pandemic. It even caught Kelly Clarkson’s attention, and collaborations with Jason Derulo and David Guetta quickly followed.

How do you follow such meteoric success? Ed Service and Jack Madin will inevitably find a way. Their first single of 2024, “Tonic”, is a good start, a shimmering anthem with a melancholic flavour.

“Shouse is collective ecstasy,” the duo’s Instagram bio declares. It’s difficult to disagree with that statement upon listening to their brand of electronic music; their lightly euphoric songs urge you to pull your favourite people closer on the dancefloor, to live in the blissful present, devoid of stressors for the briefest of moments.

Clinton Kane

“Viral sensation” is quickly becoming a redundant phrase, but, there’s really no better way to describe Clinton Kane.

Starting with YouTube covers of the likes of Drake and 5 Seconds of Summer, the self-taught multi-instrumentalist has since garnered a huge international fanbase thanks to his emotionally charged and vulnerable songwriting. 

Kane’s 2023 EP, AND ALL I LOVED, I LOVED ALONE, was his strongest collection of songs to date, the all-caps title matching the intensity of the vocals held within.

Mia Rodriguez

Mia Rodriguez has been on our radar for a while now — she was named Best New Artist at the 2021 Rolling Stone Australia Awards, after all — but it still feels like she’s just getting started. 

It may sound silly to say this about someone who’s already amassed over 40 million combined global streams, but Rodriguez is only 21 years old, with no EP or album to her name. The next few years are set to be huge for the Sydney artist.

A true TikTok success story, Rodriguez’s exciting dark-pop songs and inimitable fashion style have helped her stand out on the social media platform, and she’s now ready to carve a corner out for herself in the pop world with a sound that sets her apart.

Blusher

“Get in loser, Blusher are going dancing,” we wrote about Blusher last year, because after listening to them, you really, really want to be their friend.

The Melbourne pop trio pump out addictive anthems one after another, luring you to the dancefloor without hesitation. They place female friendship and joy at the heart of their infectious songs, and their fun-focused approach refused to take music too seriously. 

Their debut EP was titled Should We Go Dance?, but it didn’t have to be worded as a question: the collection will undoubtedly have anyone moving. At their best, Blusher take listeners on a chaotic ride into the night, capturing in detail each tiny part, from getting ready with friends at home to having deep ‘n’ meaningful chats in the club bathroom in the early hours of the morning.

Read our 2023 interview with Blusher here.

Teenage Dads

It should be illegal to be as good as Teenage Dads are at popping out buzzy anthem after anthem.

Last year’s winners of the Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist at the ARIA Awards are proving themselves to be an unstoppable indie rock force. After being nominated for Best New Artist at the 2022 Rolling Stone Australia Awards, they went one better last year with a nod for Best Album for their electrifying EP, Midnight Driving. 

Teenage Dads are also already one of the must-sees on the live circuit, and their commitment to touring as much as possible has only helped them fine-tune their breezy guitar music. A first win after several nominations at our awards feels inevitable at this point. 

Read Teenage Dads track-by-track breakdown of Midnight Driving here.

Pacific Avenue

Two nominations at the 2023 ARIA Awards for your debut album? Pacific Avenue are flying out of the traps.

From the coastal town of Gerringong in New South Wales, the rising alternative rock band deliver a fresh yet nostalgic sound with strong hooks, while their energetic live show is a sight to behold.

After working hard to build up their reputation in their home country, Pacific Avenue’s reward was a debut tour of New Zealand at the beginning of the year, where their sunshine-coated songs went down a storm with Kiwis. 

Luca George

Admired by Troye Sivan, New Zealand has a future pop powerhouse in its midst.

You can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep, and you can also tell a lot about an artist by who wants to work with them, so it felt notable that Sivan selected Luca George as the sole New Zealand artist to take part in his SongHubs songwriting camp.

The fledgling Kiwi pop star flew to Sydney to take part in the camp, getting to work with top songwriters and producers from around the world. And a lot of the same qualities that helped Sivan rise to the top are prominent in George’s music: sugary vocals, natural charisma, and melancholic yet hopeful pop aesthetics. The Wanaka-born artist is ready for the world.

Good Morning

Good Morning have a strong claim to be the most underrated Australian band of their generation.

The dreamy indie pop duo have been releasing excellent records since 2014, but it’s their new double album, Good Morning Seven, that’s set to give them the wider notice they so deserve. 

Go through Liam Parsons and Stefan Blair’s extensive catalogue and you’ll find a gem: the mournful lo-fi of “Warned You”, by far their biggest streaming hit to date; the driving “Country”, the memorable closing track to their 2021 album Barnyard; the one-two melancholic punch of “Take It Easy For Me, Stranger” and “Boy, I’m Just a Loser for Your Love”; the list could go on and on.

Good Morning Seven debuted in the top five on the Australian Albums Chart upon its release in March — one doubts that commercial favour has ever been what matters to Parsons and Blair anyway — and it successfully enhances their plucky DIY pop in impressive ways.

With a growing army of admirers overseas, Good Morning now turn their focus to a US tour with Waxahatchee. These two high school friends from Melbourne deserve such a prominent showcase for their music.

MAY-A

MAY-A initially rose to prominence after topping triple j’s Hottest 100 through her famous feature on Flume’s “Say Nothing”, but her new era is all about exploring her own musical vision. 

The Sydney singer-songwriter means business. Last year’s EP, ANALYSIS PARALYSIS, found MAY-A coming out of her shell more than ever, writing pointedly and honestly.

Having a #1 Hottest 100 before the age of 22 would go to some people’s heads, but not MAY-A. Don’t bet against her taking out the top spot on the countdown as a solo artist sometime soon.

lilbubblegum

lilbubblegum has been out-performing your favourite rappers on streaming for a long time.

After starting out in SoundCloud’s underground scene making beats on his phone, the teen rapper from Te Atatu is now selling out venues across the United States.

At the 2023 Rolling Stone Aotearoa Awards, the up-and-coming rapper was nominated for Best Single for the gripping “af1”, a song blessed with a deliriously jazzy beat that draws you in for repeat listens. (Seriously, try to play “af1” just one time.)

From Yung Gravy to Rico Nasty, bigger and bigger international names are now seeking out lilbubblegum’s innate talent.

Coterie

Wherever Coterie go, wherever they play, the fun goes too.

The NZ-born, WA-based brothers, named Best New Artist at last year’s Rolling Stone Aotearoa Awards, are swiftly becoming Trans-Tasman favourites thanks to a winning sound that melds reggae, rock, and pop together.

It’s only a matter of time until Coterie are an unmissable name on festival bills worldwide, and it also feels like they are destined to follow the example of Six60 and L.A.B as the most dominant band on the Aotearoa charts. 

And if you’re still doubting the  credentials, just know this: the legendary Sir Dave Dobbyn approved of their cover of his classic hit “Slice of Heaven” so much that he deigned to guest on the reimagined version.

Read our 2023 interview with Coterie here.

Kaylee Bell

If Brad Cox is the most promising country star in Australia, Kaylee Bell is his Kiwi counterpart.

The Canterbury-born future country superstar has already made a name for herself in Nashville.

With a CMA Global Award and US Billboard Country Charts success under her belt, her latest album, Nights Like This, was the cherry on top of her most triumphant career period yet.

After winning the Toyota Star Maker award in Australia in 2013 (making her the first New Zealand-born artist to win since the one and only Keith Urban in 1990), Bell has taken her time to get to the top. Now she’s here, don’t expect her to leave anytime soon.

Oliver Cronin

Oliver Cronin’s edgy, dark-pop sound, which mixes hip hop and trap elements, has grabbed both industry and fan attention.

Following viral TikTok remixes and millions of streams, the ambitious Sydney-based artist now has new material slated for 2024. 

The 2024 Rolling Stone Australia Awards Best New Artist nominee will be aiming to win big at next year’s edition.

Read our 2023 interview with Oliver Cronin here.

Royel Otis

Australia’s next indie pop darlings.

If Good Morning had to bide their time to turn mainstream heads, there was no such wait for the mysterious Royel Otis. The Sydney duo make guitar-led music sound like the coolest thing in the world, particularly on their acclaimed debut album, Pratts & Pain. 

That followed three promising EPs — 2021’s Campus, 2022’s Bar & Grill, and 2023’s Sofa Kings — and Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic’s remarkable current hit rate is almost as impressive as their endlessly catchy songs.

Explore Rolling Stone US’s ‘Future of Music’ list here.