Some of Australia’s best rising artists will take centre stage at Swinburne’s Hawthorn campus this month to celebrate the 2021 Year 12’s end of school year, receipt of ATAR results, and the return to on-campus university life.
On Thursday, December 16th, Year 12s will have just received their ATAR results. It’s a time of increased stress and uncertainty, with emotions running high. That’s why Swinburne is hosting an on-campus Change of Preference Expo (COP) the following day on Friday, December 17th, to ensure that prospective students know that the university is here to support them to reach their goals, no matter their ATAR.
It’s a day for students to have helpful face-to-face discussions with teaching staff about possible courses and career options. The COP Expo will coincide with the Change of Preference period, a five-day window in which students can decide to change their shortlist of course preferences.
After the Expo, it’s all about the COP After Party – Mallrat, CXLOE, and JXN will perform at the event, which is the first time an Australian university has partnered with Rolling Stone Australia to curate a unique live show. With it being such an important time for Year 12s, the Live Music Show will provide some much-needed entertainment relief.
Bringing a cool mixture of alternative pop, hip hop, and R&B to students on campus, the trio of performers are definitely not to be missed. One of the most unique pop stars to emerge from Australia in recent years, CXLOE dropped her debut EP, Heavy, Pt. 1, last year to wide acclaim. CXLOE released her latest single “New Trick” in November to an equally warm reception. As she fits between alternative pop and electronica, CXLOE – real name Chloe Papandrea – is unafraid to get sincere and emotional in her songwriting.
The exciting Mallrat – aka Grace Shaw – has exploded onto the scene through her intoxicating mix of rap and indie pop. She’s become a triple j favourite, seeing several of her songs place in the Hottest 100, including ‘Charlie’ which came third in 2020. Fusing R&B and pop, JXN – otherwise known as Jackson Brazier – has risen to become one of Australia’s most followed artists on TikTok. Mallrat is fast becoming a favourite in the live music scene, and is also slated to appear at For The Love Festival in 2022.
“Let’s be real, this year was tough for so many students due to the global pandemic – and no one understands that more than Australian artists,” Rolling Stone Australia Managing Editor Poppy Reid said about the event. “To bring both together for a huge celebration is something Rolling Stone Australia doesn’t take for granted. With accomplished, genre-defying acts Mallrat, CXLOE and JXN all set to perform, the Swinburne COP Expo and After Party shares our commitment to connection and exclusive experiences.”
Sarah Maddison, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Education, Experience and Employability, said that the COP Expo and After Party is an important chance to celebrate the class of 2021 following two years of disruptive schooling.
“After missing out on so many rite-of-passage events – like 18th birthday parties and school formals – this is the perfect way for students to reconnect with their peers and get excited about the return of campus life and culture in 2022,” she said.
“It has been a really tough couple of years on these lockdown learners. The COP period is an opportunity for students to understand their options and learn about courses they may previously not have known about or considered. Connecting with academics, staff and current students to talk about their career options will be an important part of the day. We want students to know that they can change their course selection with ease, and have some fun while doing it.”
“We hope the COP period will help expose students to a new world of options and showcase the innovative ideas created by our graduates that are driven by technology. Through guaranteed industry experiences across all undergraduate courses, our students are job-ready and primed for the modern workforce.” Prof Maddison said.
Alongside the live music show, Swinburne’s new_now store will also be open, positioning Swinburne as the first university to have a retail presence dedicated to its creative and innovative graduates, including DG Designs, Memobottle, and Little Green Panda Eco Friendly Straws. The store will demonstrate that Swinburne helps its students build their own business from the moment they graduate.
Throughout the COP Expo and Live Music Show, free food and coffee will be on offer, as well as an enticing selection of wood-fired pizzas, gourmet burgers, and ice cream. There will be a chill out zone in Wakefield Gardens, featuring beanbags and furniture to relax in, and LED screens streaming the onstage performances. Live DJs will be spinning tracks as everyone waits for Mallrat, CXLOE, and JXN to hit the stage.
The Swinburne COP Expo will take place inside Swinburne’s Advanced Technologies Centre from 10am to 3pm on Friday, December 17th. The COP Live Music Show will then be held afterwards from 3pm to 6pm. Guests will be required to check-in via QR code and show proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
With Year 12s having missed out on so many ‘rite of passage’ events recently – formals, deb balls, 18th birthday parties – the COP Live Music Show will be a wonderful opportunity for them to simply hang out with mates and start getting excited for a future studying on campus in the new year. 1,500 free tickets will be up for grabs for Year 12 students to claim. As both are private events, any interested students must register their attendance via the Swinburne website from Friday 3rd December: www.swinburne.edu.au.
