Live Nation’s Ones To Watch has been a huge platform for artist discovery over the years, and it was no different at BIGSOUND this month.
At The Outpost in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley on Wednesday, September 6th, three up-and-coming artists from across Australia – Sydney’s Ūla, Melbourne’s Keenan Te, and Gold Coast’s bella amor – got to showcase their talent.
And with a debut upcoming festival tour, a supporting tour, and new music on the way (not to mention being several releases deep this year), bella amor had a lot to showcase. Silky on the mic, unafraid to collaborate with artists from other genres, the singer-songwriter never shies away from glimmering production and bold vocal performances.
Raised on ’80s rock, Ūla made a name for herself within her favourite genre while adding her own flavour, style, and individuality. Amassing millions of streams so far, she was a worthy inclusion in Ones To Watch. Her latest solo single, “god complex”, is an exciting glimpse of Ūla’s sound.
Becoming popular on TikTok, Keenan Te has managed to separate himself from the ‘overnight’ stars of the viral platform as a true artist. His reward? Solidifying himself as a touring and charting artist, an impressive dual feat.
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Following the Ones To Watch show at BIGSOUND, Rolling Stone AU/NZ got to know the three performers better, which you can check out below.
Keenan Te
How did it feel to be chosen for Ones To Watch?
I am incredibly honoured to have been chosen for Ones To Watch. It was such a fun day and I am so proud to be a part of a program that amplifies upcoming Aussie artists.
Were you familiar with the other artists chosen for the series?
I wasn’t! But I went and stalked both bella and Ula’s music and loved everything I heard! It was super cool to watch them during soundcheck and the show, they are such incredible artists!
How did your performance go on the night?
It went super well! I was pretty nervous to close out the show, but once I got on stage, all the nerves went away – it was so fun to sing some of my songs. I had so many friends and familiar faces in the crowd that had come to support me so the vibes were high
Is there a particular Australian artist you think should be included in Ones To Watch next?
Yes! Ned Houston. He’s a super talented songwriter and artist and actually helped me write one of my songs, “Repair”! He doesn’t have any music out yet, but I’ve had a few sneak previews and it’s SO GOOD.
What’s coming up for you in the rest of the year?
More music and more shows. I’m excited to be heading to Asia for my first headline tour and I have so many songs sitting in my vault that I am dying to release.
Did you get to see many other performers/speakers at this year’s BIGSOUND? Any particular favourites?
I didn’t unfortunately as we were only in Brisbane for the afternoon, but I bumped into so many industry friends throughout the day.
bella amor
How did it feel to be chosen for Ones To Watch?
It felt unreal. The crew were so lovely and supportive of what I was doing, and as an artist it felt like home. I’m really honoured to have been a part of the Ones To Watch showcase.
Were you familiar with the other artists chosen for the series?
Yes, I was! a few of my mates were a part of BIGSOUND which was so fun. A lot of Instagram mutuals were performing as well, which was real fun because I have never met them in person before. The energy this year was priceless, I loved every second of it.
How did your performance go on the night?
All of them went absolutely amazing. The feedback and the energy of the room was unreal!!!! I’m beyond blessed to have experienced that, it’s definitely given me more confidence with how I perform which is always awesome.
Is there a particular Australian artist you think should be included in Ones To Watch next?
There are so many that I think that should be included as Ones To Watch. I can name a few right here – Aleksiah, Beckah Armani, Ben Swissa, Friends of Friends, Logan, and so many more. I could chew your ear off all day!
What’s coming up for you in the rest of the year?
I have a lot more shows coming up. My first-ever festival tour around Australia with Grapevine Gathering, then again around the country with the Teenage Joans crew. I am super super stoked to be a part of these lineups, it’s going to be awesome. I’m also working on some new tunes for everyone’s ears which is super, super fun. I love creation, so it’s perfect!
Did you get to see many other performers/speakers at this year’s BIGSOUND? Any particular favourites?
I didn’t really get around to it which sucked because I was BUGGERED from all my performances, but I did manage to watch Ben Swissa who was PHENOMENAL! Absolutely a musician to watch. Also watched a bit of The Stumps’ set which was super fun, they had a real fun vibe and their music was real groovy. I definitely fell short this year, but hopefully next year I’ll be able to just go and watch some amazing performances.
Ūla
How did it feel to be chosen for Ones To Watch?
Incredible! I honestly feel so honoured to be chosen especially when looking at the past alumni of the showcases. Being recognised by a big industry body as an independent artist means a lot. It’s also a big push of motivation knowing my project is being recognised. I appreciate it a lot !
Were you familiar with the other artists chosen for the series?
Yes! bella and I were actually previously friends online and met earlier in the year at a songwriting camp. Since then, we’ve done a few writing sessions together – I have so much love for bella.
How did your performance go on the night?
I’m super happy with the show! The atmosphere of the whole night was beautiful. Events like these host a lot of people from the business side of the music industry and it can be super daunting/intimidating to perform because you never know what to expect – but the crowd was so lovely and got into the set. Everyone in the front was smiling and dancing, that’s all I can hope for!
Is there a particular Australian artist you think should be included in Ones To Watch next?
There are so many bubbling artists that deserve to be in that spotlight. I’m currently obsessing over Kanada the Loop and his music – I think it’s so awesome. Another artist I’d start watching is XANU. He’s a good mate of mine so I might be biased, but he’s killing the TikTok scene and coming out with killer tracks. I could probably keep listing new artists that I love forever.
What’s coming up for you in the rest of the year?
A bit of everything! The next single is dropping end of September – I actually played it for the first time over BIGSOUND so I can’t wait for everyone to hear it, it’s a ripper. There’s quite a few shows and some more music following that up, so it’ll be a busy few months but I’m super excited!
Did you get to see many other performers/speakers at this year’s BIGSOUND? Any particular favourites?
Yes! I tried to get down to as many shows as possible. Without a doubt my highlight was Battlesnake. They are just the coolest people I’ve ever seen and the music speaks for itself – I’ve even gotten my mum hooked to them now. I also was lucky enough to see a band called Johnny Hunter – they were playing a set straight after me so I stuck around. Oh my god, I was blown away, they are the Joy Division/The Cure of 2023, I’ll definitely be following their journey from here.
