Here Are The Australian Artists About To Take Over The World
Get acquainted with our next superstars.
Don’t let the hard-hearted guff of the Australian government fool you. This country’s truly great export isn’t the coal we dig out of the ground. It’s our artists.
After all, over the last few decades, the Australian music industry has pumped out bravura performer after bravura performer. Think of Courtney Barnett, who went from playing Melbourne pubs to ending up on Barack Obama’s favourite songs of the year list. Or, even more recently, Tones and I, a young busker-turned-superstar who dropped what would eventually become the biggest song in the world.
And we’re not done, either. Despite the hits the industry has taken this year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the number of rising stars dropping genre-shaking singles hasn’t slowed for a second.
Need proof? Here then are some of the brightest young performers in the industry; a whole list of next-big-things, each of them one half-heartbeat away from taking over this country, and then the world.
Cat & Calmell
Cat & Calmell are a pair of performers who have been making music together ever since they met at an after-school program for aspiring musicians. The first song they wrote together, ‘dumbshit’, combines their love of R&B and their skills as unprecedented pop writers. Hooky, compact, and luscious, it’s the sound of the future.
What’s your favourite, and least favourite, part of the job?
Definitely getting to work with your best friend on something you’re both super passionate about, and the Capricorn-Gemini dynamic certainly helps move things along, we make up for what the other lacks.
We love the creative side of things that aren’t just music-related like photoshoots and videos, we’re both extremely visual people and bringing our music to life in that way is so bloody rewarding and exciting! Plus we’ll take any opportunity to look stunning, the rush of serotonin we get is unmatched.
Least fave would probably be the stress of trying to get everything in place from the vision we have for our music and videos, to deals, to miscellaneous admin things that need to get done, it’s a real drag.
What worries you about the music industry?
Being two young female artists can be intimidating and sometimes it can be hard for us to be heard and respected, not everyone has the best intentions and it can definitely be a scary industry to get into.
Being two young female artists can be intimidating and sometimes it can be hard for us to be heard and respected
The public scrutiny can also be scary at times and it’s something that comes with the job, but we don’t want to lose ourselves in the expectations of what other people want us to be and I think that’s where having one another there through the process is a real blessing.
Do you have any specific strategies for writing songs? Are you set in your ways, or flexible?
Typically in our sessions, we’d discuss (with ourselves and the producer) what’s been happening in our lives, in the world or what we have been thinking about the last few days. Sometimes we’d just be talking for hours before actually starting the song. We toss up a few reference ideas for the producer and build that foundation together and the two of us separate and sit at opposite ends of the room and just write by ourselves for an hour or so.
What’s the hardest part of writing/producing?
It can be really difficult articulating the more complex thoughts and ideas we want to convey through our lyrics, in a way that is both effective and accessible. We want our audience to resonate with what we’re saying and we also want to touch on some important issues, it’s definitely a craft and we’re definitely still working on it!
Thomas Headon
London-born, Australia-based Thomas Headon got his start on YouTube, uploading his layered and heartfelt songs direct to his fans. Now, he’s making the leap to the mainstream — his debut single, ‘Grace’, dropped only last year and has already attracted him a growing cult fanbase, and his latest single ‘Loving You’ has set him up for a glittering future. Those looking for the next band with the gumption and avant-garde stylings of The 1975 should look no further than Headon.
What’s your favourite, and least favourite, part of the job?
I was super excited to go on tour and play headline shows. That’s such a vital part of this industry and I haven’t even experienced it for myself yet. I’ve always liked playing live so I imagine that would have been my answer if this year went to plan, but instead right now I think writing is my favourite. I get to make all the decisions and create things that I can say are mine.
Least favourite part is hard to explain, but I think it’s monitoring performance and statistics. I really like maths and seeing all the numbers, but a lot of the time it negatively affects me and changes my mood. I get worried about if what I’m writing or doing will do well enough or match something else yada yada, that’s hard but what can you do.
What worries you about the music industry?
Interesting question, I’d say my biggest worry is that I’m surrounding myself with the right people who know what’s best for me. A lot of this industry is filled with ego and people who don’t often put the best interests for all parties involved first. Luckily I haven’t met or had anything to do with people like that yet, I might at some point but for now everything’s pretty chill from my end. I’d like to keep it chill and friendly for as long as I can.
What’s the hardest part of writing/producing?
Sounds a bit inspirational but for me I genuinely think it’s to keep doing it when I get stuck. It’s hard to remember in that moment that the rest of the song has gone smoothly so far, so if I get side tracked, lose focus or just don’t really understand what I’m writing anymore sometimes I should just force myself to get back on track then scrap what could have been a good song.
I did a lot of producing on my first EP, but not so much anymore. Either way though I think it’s easy to get discouraged when a mix doesn’t sound the way I want it to first listen, but feel like I’m over the point of dwelling on that now though. Everything can be fixed, I try to remind myself of that quite often.
Sycco
Talk about an atmospheric rise. Sycco, a 18-year-old musician hailing from Brisbane — real name Sasha McLeod — has practically exploded over the last nine months, dropping an incredible single and receiving extensive coverage from the ABC and triple j. A crossover to the American mainstream now seems all but inevitable.
What’s your favourite, and least favourite, part of the job?
I love producing and listening to my demos the most and my least fave part would just be waiting — I love everything.
What excites you about the music industry?
Nobody knows what is next!
What worries you about the music industry?
I think personally I get worried about getting lost in it – there are so many people making music. As long as I am happy with what I’m making – I’m not too worried then!
Do you have any specific strategies for writing songs?
Definitely flexible and like to switch it up. I feel like I forget how to make a song every time I make one & then I just rapidly learn it all again.
What’s the hardest part of writing/producing?
Not being down on yourself when you can’t work out lyrics or a melody, allowing yourself to just let it happen is hard.
flowerkid
If you want to feel lazy, then simply cast your eye over the career of one flowerkid, who, at the age of 18, has more gumption and drive than performers twice his age. His debut single, ‘Boy With The Winfields and The Wild Heart’, is exploding over on triple j unearthed, and massive radio play is just starting to pick up. Listen to the trembling, raw single, and then prepare for him to take over the music industry.
What’s your favourite, and least favourite, part of the job?
My favourite part of my job is starting and finishing a song in one day. It makes me feel so accomplished and creative. I also love working towards a release; getting the visuals and art downpat. My least favourite part of my job is the dead period around a month after a big release. It can be really depressing as the hustle and bustle is done and it’s just quiet again.
The internet provides anyone with access to make and publish music, it makes it so hard to get noticed and to get an audience.
What worries you about the music industry?
I worry about it being increasingly hard to get noticed as an artist. As the internet provides anyone with access to make and publish music, it makes it so hard to get noticed and to get an audience. There is so much music published all the time!
Do you have any specific strategies for writing songs? Are you set in your ways, or flexible?
I’m quite flexible with writing songs. Sometimes I start by writing poetry. Other times I make an instrumental that is quite looped, so it makes it easier to write to. I then write my lyrics, track my vocal, and re-produce the the instrumental around my vocals and writing.
What’s the hardest part of writing/producing?
The hardest part for me would be writers block. Sometimes I get these periods for weeks! I usually don’t know what to do with myself during these times. It can be very depressing.