Here Are The Acts That Could Headline Splendour In 2019
Time to whip out the crystal ball (and cross-check tour schedules).
Autumn is now upon us, which means two things: the leaves will soon fall, and Australia’s music community is about to speculate wildly on the upcoming Splendour in the Grass line-up.
This week, the first fake Splendour poster appeared, and while it was the obvious work of a internet trickster, it did contain a few solid predictions about which acts could be heading to Byron this July.
So with only a few weeks to go until the official line-up drops, we decided to take a look at a few acts we think will be up the pointy end of the Splendour bill in 2019.
The Chemical Brothers
Legendary dance duo The Chemical Brothers are gearing up to release their highly anticipated new album, No Geography, on April 12. It’s their first studio album in four years, and they’ve locked down a stack of supporting tour dates across North America and Europe. Handily, there is a Splendour sized hole in their touring schedule.
They’ve been announced as a headliner for Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival, an event which has a history of sharing headliners with Splendour.
Prediction: Likely
Solange
A few weeks ago, Solange Knowles followed up her beloved A Seat At The Table with When I Get Home, a mesmerising collection of tracks featuring artists like Playboi Carti, Gucci Mane, Tyler, The Creator, and Sampha.
She’s no stranger to our shores: last year she took over the Sydney Opera House for four nights as part of Vivid Festival. It was, putting it mildly, one of the best gigs the country has witnessed in recent years.
If she does make it to Splendour, expect a groundbreaking performance.
Prediction: We Can Hope
Sia
Like The Chemical Brothers, Sia also has a headlining spot on Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival, meaning she’d be close(ish) by if she wanted to drop in for a set in Byron.
A Splendour set from Sia would be a bold and excellent choice: her back catalogue is stacked with hits, and she’d be able to dive back to her triple j roots and play some beloved cuts we haven’t heard for a while.
Just imagine hearing ‘Breathe Me’ ring out over a silent Splendour Amphitheatre…pure festival magic.
Prediction: Outside Chance
Travis Scott
Travis Scott released one of the best records of 2018 with the incendiary ASTROWORLD, which spawned one of the year’s most popular singles with ‘Sicko Mode’. The track also landed at #3 in triple j’s Hottest 100, meaning Scott has a decent local following.
His touring schedule for the year has him stuck in North America for the first half of the year, but there’s nothing locked down past June.
Prediction: Likely
James Blake
James Blake is certified Splendour Favourite. His most recent headlining set in 2016 packed the Amphitheatre to the brim, and before that he took over the Mix Up stage in 2013 for a sweaty performance at the height of ‘Retrograde’ madness.
His latest album Assume Form dropped only a month ago, and he’ll be supporting it with shows across Europe and America over the next few months. But as of yet, he seems to have locked in nothing for the end of July…
Prediction: Very Likely
Tame Impala
Having been locked in as Coachella headliners, and with a Saturday Night Live performance on the way, it’s clear that 2019 is going to be a busy one for the Perth outfit. They have a bunch of tour dates throughout North America over the next few months, but nothing has been pencilled in for July — making a Splendour appearance very doable.
They also have a history of giving Splendour the first taste of their new records — their 2015 headlining slot at the festival was one of the first performances they did in support of Currents, likewise with their 2012 slot and Lonerism.
Prediction: Highly Likely
Janelle Monáe
Like Scott, Janelle Monáe also dropped one of the best albums in 2018 with the acclaimed Dirty Computer. Singles like ‘Make Me Feel’ and ‘Pynk’ have taken over our airwaves, and her performance at the recent Grammy Awards had jaws on the floor.
Australia has been hanging out for a Monáe tour for years now — her 2014 tour with Kimbra was cancelled due to illness at the last minute, and the only time before that that she toured was in 2012. She also flagged recently with Double J that she’d be up for re-doing the cancelled tour.
Prediction: Let’s Hope And Pray
Jules LeFevre is the Music Editor of Junkee. She is on Twitter.