Photography: Jake Harm Nam
HOSTED BY ELIZA HULL
FEATURING MATHILDE ANNE, R.EM.EDY AND COOPER SMITH
Continuing to redefine their status as one of the premier live music discovery platforms in the country, Live Nation’s ONES TO WATCH series today announces their final edition for 2025:
an event held in Melbourne on Wednesday 26 November, to coincide with
International Day of People with Disabilities (IDPWD) – observed on Wednesday 3 December.
Championing and celebrating incredible artists who have been breaking down barriers with their music, encouraging inclusivity and an industry shake-up that has long been needed to benefit those living with myriad disabilities, ONES TO WATCH is excited to bring a new roster of expertly curated talent to a room full of fans and industry professionals alike.
Working closely with award-winning songwriter, performer and activist ELIZA HULL, the ONES TO WATCH team is excited to present a lineup of artists who represent some beautiful creative corners of Australian music that are positioned to crest new waves of success in the near future.
The evening will be hosted by Eliza Hull, who will also close the night with a special performance – a poignant reminder of her own status as one of Australia’s best voices. A striking songwriter, Hull’s music has been embraced by Australian and international audiences alike in recent years, touring throughout Australia and the UK, delivering spellbinding performances to growing numbers of fans who have been instantly drawn to her natural gifts as a storyteller.
With a new record due in 2026, Hull has remained busy across a number of different projects while not on tour, including international collaborations and exploring the fruits of a recently signed worldwide publishing deal with Sony Music, while led to an emotive reimagining of Silverchair’s ‘Tomorrow’ for Australian drama, Playing Gracie Darling.
In working with ONES TO WATCH to shape this November event, Hull has explained, “This is exactly what the industry needs right now – a night to celebrate and amplify the incredible artists with disability in this country. I’m incredibly grateful to Live Nation for stepping in and showcasing talent that is so often underrepresented. I’m super proud of the artists I’ve curated. As a musician with a disability myself I know firsthand that there are still barriers in the industry, but moments like this give me real hope for what’s ahead.”
Set to perform at this final ONES TO WATCH event for the year, Melbourne-based pop artist MATHILDE ANNE will captivate with her unique blend of pop and indie stylings. Making waves with her alt-pop debut album NORMAL in 2024, Mathilde has since risen prolifically within the local space; her music weaving through ethereal sounds and evocative songwriting, exploring themes of young adulthood, womanhood and living with neurodivergence. Mathilde has shared stages with the likes of Cub Sport, Telenova and more, and is looking ahead to a busy 2026 with the highly-anticipated release of her new EP, Cigarettes and Anxious Sex.
Joining her will be R&B/pop chameleon, R.EM.EDY, a fellow Melbourne-based artist who has been shifting boundaries in her effortless blend of genres and sonic influences. Ranging from R&B to soul, pop, hip-hop and dance music, r.em.edy has found a natural calling in music as a way for her to not only tell her own stories, but to be a vessel for inspiration and change. Advocating for fellow artists with disabilities including ADHD, Autism and POTS, re.me.dy has generated more than 5 million streams for her music, as well as a fiercely loyal fanbase around the country.
Completing this ONES TO WATCH lineup is talented Australian DJ, COOPER SMITH. Creating music and soundscapes that are instantly engaging as they are electrifying, Cooper’s success as a DJ has been driven by a spirit to create a new lane for himself in a scene already dominated with unique personalities. His commitment to breaking barriers has seen Cooper’s profile continue along a rapid, upward trajectory, with shows alongside the likes of Torren Foot, Airwolf Paradise; on the Australian Open Main Stage, and in renowned clubs including New Guernica and Revolver, cementing his status as a talent to keep an eye on.
Throughout 2025, the ONES TO WATCH music discovery series has delivered successful events right around Australia, bringing packed out events to venues in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Byron Bay. Providing a stage for Australian and international artists alike to captivate an audience of fans and influential industry players, in a unique and intimate setting, Live Nation’s ONES TO WATCH has become a globally renowned and respected pathway for artist exposure and support.
Capping off another busy year with this final event in Melbourne, raising awareness for and celebrating International Day of People with Disabilities (IDPWD), ONES TO WATCH is keen to continue their support of up and coming artists who are changing the culture and game in Australian music.
“Collaborating with Eliza Hull on this Ones To Watch showcase to elevate these voices reinforces our shared commitment to championing inclusivity across the industry, and it’s a proud moment to celebrate the incredible talent of these artists in the lead-up to the International Day of People with Disability.
As part of the broader Ones To Watch program, this event helps create real pathways for emerging talent, opening doors, building connections, and ensuring every artist has the chance to be seen, heard and supported by the industry” Michelle Lucia, SVP, Product & Innovation, Live Nation Australia & New Zealand.
ABOUT ONES TO WATCH:
The ONES TO WATCH series has made a solid impact within the Australian music community. In Australia since 2021, the series has been serving industry and fans exclusive opportunities to see some of the country’s best new talent perform in intimate environments across Melbourne, Sydney, Darwin, Brisbane and Byron Bay, highlighting the current wave of artists primed to make their impact in other markets.
Since its establishment in North America, the ONES TO WATCH series has been able to support and promote artists such as Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo and Halsey early in their careers. So far in Australia, ONES TO WATCH has platformed artists including Salty, Lotte Gallagher, Fletcher Kent, Chanel Loren, J-MILLA, Georgia Lines, Ishan, Adrian Dzvuke, Phebe Starr, J.Tajor, Yung Milla, Juran, Blake Rose, Sophisticated Dingo, STUMPS, Forest Claudette, Teenage Joans, Carla Wehbe, ZPLUTO, WIIGZ, Hoodzy, East AV3, Colourblind, Saint Lane, Say Sue Me, Cifika, Sion, Wah Wah Wah, Ullah, Ghost Care, Mariae Cassandra, Loren Ryan, Dem Mob, Rox Lavi, Dobby, and Lewis Love at events around the country.
LIVE NATION AUSTRALIA: Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Dom Dolla – Saturday 20th December – Allianz Stadium, Sydney
With less than a month to go until his debut Australian stadium show, GRAMMY Award-nominated DJ and producer Dom Dolla has revealed the line-up of artists set to join him for this landmark show at Allianz Stadium, Sydney on Saturday 20th December, 2025.
Joining Dom Dolla is the Irish electronic heavyweight KETTAMA, New York’s genre-defying Fcukers (Dj set) and Australian dance icon Anna Lunoe. Together, they’re set to deliver a night of world-class energy for what promises to be one of the most anticipated electronic music events of the year, presented by Untitled Group and TEG Live.
This stadium show follows Dom’s record-breaking 2024 national tour, which saw him sell over 170,000 tickets across four cities, making it the largest tour ever by an Australian electronic artist. In 2025, Dom has continued his meteoric rise, headlining two sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City to over 30,000 fans, performing headline sets at Lollapalooza Chicago, Ultra Miami and EDC Las Vegas, and most recently completing his 10-week residency at the world’s #1 club, Hï Ibiza.
Dom’s catalogue has surpassed 1.5 billion streams, earning him three ARIA Awards to date, along with seven nominations in 2025 – including coveted categories Best Live Act, Song of the Year, and Best Solo Artist.
Earlier this year, he released Dreamin’ featuring Daya, followed by Forever with Kid Cudi, and most recently wrote and produced a lead single for the film “F1: The Movie” No Room For A Saint ft. Nathan Nicholson
Final tickets are on sale now HERE, don’t miss the event of the year.
This is an 18+ event.
Get connected:
Bali’s Biggest Music Festival, Djakarta Warehouse Project,
Set to Host Calvin Harris, Charlotte de Witte, Fisher, Hugel, Sammy Virji, Skrillex, Steve Angello, and More This December
This December 12-14, 2025, Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP) returns to Bali, transforming the island’s breathtaking GWK Cultural Park into a world stage for electronic music, art, and community. What began as a club night in Jakarta has evolved into one of Asia’s most respected music festivals, bringing its signature energy to the Island of the Gods for an unforgettable three-day celebration.
Held at GWK Cultural Park, DWP 2025 unfolds in one of Bali’s most iconic and atmospheric locations. The vast outdoor venue, crowned by the towering Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue, captures the island’s creative pulse – open skies and tropical warmth. As day turns to night, the park shifts from glowing sunsets to a horizon alive with light and sound, creating a setting that feels both grounded in culture and charged with dancefloor energy.
Fisher makes his exclusive festival appearance in Southeast Asia at the 2025 edition, joining a powerful lineup of global icons and diverse innovators from a myriad of scenes. Calvin Harris, Charlotte de Witte, Hugel, Sammy Virji, Skrillex, and Steve Angello bring their infectious energy, joined by Cyril, Dipha Barus, an unprecedented exclusive first-ever-in-Indonesia triple billing from DubVision b2b Matisse & Sadko b2b Third Party. The momentum continues with Nifra, Odd Mob, Paul van Dyk, Space 92, Whisnu Santika, alongwith Lukas & Frank (live), Gil Glaze and ¥ØU$UKE ¥UK1MATSU rounding out a program engineered to move from sunset euphoria into late-night intensity within one of the world’s most striking open-air venues.
Reflecting DWP’s commitment to celebrating Asia’s diverse and dynamic electronic scene, this year also spotlights rising regional talent. Singapore’s FVDER brings a forward-thinking blend of house and bass, while Indonesian favorite LTN returns with his internationally acclaimed progressive sound. Indonesia’s own XYRA makes his long-awaited DWP debut, joined by Vietnam’s Sphinix, who adds cinematic depth and texture to the lineup. Rounding out the regional showcase, Japan’s YAKSA and TJO join forces for an exclusive back-to-back performance, uniting two decades of club culture and high-octane energy.
Extending beyond the main event, DWP Bali Music Week offers a full week of island-wide programming that blends culture, creativity, and community. Beachside pre-parties, wellness sessions, label takeovers, and cultural activities invite festivalgoers to experience Bali’s rich spirit in new ways.
Every year, DWP pushes creative and technical boundaries, and its 2025 debut in Bali will be its most ambitious yet. Expect monumental stage designs inspired by Indonesian artistry, cutting-edge lighting and pyrotechnics, and immersive environments that blur the line between art and performance. Each element has been carefully curated by Ismaya Live to capture Bali’s cultural soul while delivering the world-class production DWP is known for.
Exclusive tickets and travel packages are now available, designed to make the journey to paradise seamless.
GA Early Entry 3-Day Pass: IDR 1,900,000 / USD 115
GA Presale 3-Day Pass: IDR 2,100,000 / USD 128
VIP Presale 3-Day Pass: IDR 4,200,000 / USD 255
Travel Packages: from IDR 8,400,000 / USD 515 (includes passes for two, hotel, and breakfast)
Tickets, group deals, and travel packages can be found at www.dwpfest.com.
Organised by Ismaya Live, Djakarta Warehouse Project has grown from a local club event into one of Asia’s most celebrated music festivals, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans from across the globe. Known for its impeccable production, diverse programming, and vibrant sense of community, DWP continues to redefine the festival experience in Asia.
Djakarta Warehouse Project 2025
December 12-14, 2025 | GWK Cultural Park, Bali, Indonesia
www.dwpfest.com
CONNECT WITH DJAKARTA WAREHOUSE PROJECT
AUSTRALIAN DATES CO-HEADLINED BY BARKAA
DEBUT AOTEAROA DATES SUPPORTED BY REI
Powerful hip hop duo SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS are wasting no time in continuing to build upon the momentum that has generated in Australia– confirming their Australian return, as well as their debut in Aotearoa/New Zealand across February and March, 2026.
SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS represent more than just a hip hop firebrand coming out of British Columbia. The rappers, hailing from the Haisla Nation, are cultural gamechangers; fusing the storytelling and ardent connection to their histories and ancestral lines with a ferocious brand of music and forward thinking sounds.
The release of their sixth album RED FUTURE in 2024 repositioned SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS as one of Canada’s most important creative forces. The album earned critical praise, as well as the Juno Award for ‘Rap Album of the Year’ in 2025; making SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS the first Indigenous artists to do so. Also long-listed for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize, the project proved to be a moment of redefinition for SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS and as Australian audiences have witnessed on previous visits, the music and the messaging have never been more urgent or poignant.
First Nations excellence will be celebrated at all stops of SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS’ Australian and Aotearoa/NZ run; with award-winning Malyangapa, Barkindji rapper BARKAA co-headlining all Australian dates, and award-winning Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland artist REI supporting at both shows in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Representing some passionate storytelling and uncompromising performance styles, this SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS return is one that could not have been curated more perfectly.
The tour begins on the West Coast with an appearance on the 2026 PERTH FESTIVAL program on February 21. SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS then head down the Australian East Coast with BARKAA and special guests, before heading to Aotearoa for the first time, where REI and special guests will join for these unmissable Aotearoa shows. Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Pākeha songwriter and producer REI has been leading a wave of innovative artists fusing culture, language and music out of Aotearoa. The 6 time Waiata Māori Award winning artist has taken his music global in recent years, and continues to redefine what it means to be a modern artist in Aotearoa working te reo in with clashing genres such as hip hop, R&B and electronic.
“Australia is like our home away from home. As Indigenous people from Turtle Island, we can relate to the struggles of Indigenous people in Australia. Every time we come, it’s nothing but love and we’re stoked to be back and playing shows in both Australia and New Zealand this time around.” SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS
For Australian punters, the opportunity to see SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS and BARKAA together on one bill is not one to be missed. Powerhouses in their own right, the 7x ARIA Award nominated, National Indigenous Award winning rapper has cemented her status as one of Australia’s finest and potent voices. With over 10 million streams and continued positive influence spreading nationwide with her music, BARKAA is set to embark on a bright new chapter in 2026 – this tour perfectly timed for such a kick off.
“I’m so honoured to be joining my First Nations brothers, SNRK, on their tour next year, connection is everything for us mob and sharing culture! To be able to continue the song-lines of our old people and putting power back into my people means everything to me. LAND BACK!” BARKAA
The tour also marks an exciting collab between SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS and BAD APPLES MUSIC – the music label, collective and platform for First Nations excellence, celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2025. Since being founded by BRIGGS ten years ago, Bad Apples has grown into a community-driven movement, one that supports and uplifts First Nations talent through collaboration, mentorship, and uncompromising artistic freedom.
“We’re stoked to be sharing the stage with our homie BARKAA in Australia and our brother, Rei, in New Zealand. This all started with the Perth Festival reaching out and bringing us onto their festival and we’re excited to play Perth for the first time. We can promise you energy energy energy on this next tour. See you on the road.” SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS
PRAISE
“Snotty Nose Rez Kids continue to make waves in the hip-hop industry while also uplifting their community. They effortlessly blend introspective lyricism into upbeat and lighthearted dance-worthy anthems. SNRK embodies representation for the modern music lover.”
EUPHORIA
“Their sound, grounded in unparalleled lyrical skill and a uniquely natural storytelling ability, quickly established their reputation…”
WONDERLAND
SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS AUSTRALIA / AOTEAROA TOUR DATES
Tickets available HERE
Saturday 21 February East Perth Power Station BOORLOO, PERTH
Perth Festival
Thursday 26 February Oxford Art Factory GADIGAL, SYDNEY
Co-headline with BARKAA
Special Guests TBA
Friday 27 February The Night Cat NAARM, MELBOURNE
Co-headline with BARKAA
Special Guests TBA
Saturday 28 February Crowbar MAGANDJIN, BRISBANE
Co-headline with BARKAA
Special Guests TBA
Thursday 5 March Double Whammy TĀMAKI MAKAURAU, AUCKLAND
with REI and Special Guests
Friday 6 March Meow PŌNEKE, WELLINGTON
with REI and Special Guests
SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS: Official Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube
‘No Vacancy’ was born out of a moment of deep procrastination. What was happening in your lives when this song first took shape?
Mitch: My wife and I had finalised our venue and vendors for our wedding. I was excited to start the next phase of my life but felt I was stuck in a rut staying at home now thinking I had to save for the honeymoon. It felt like I’d go to work, come home and sit in front of the TV and recycle that routine. I’d have my guitar out and noodle around if I was bored of TV but kept coming back to cartoons.
Evie: I had just moved to Townsville with my fiance, and we were set up in a hotel for the time being – I remember lying on the floor and spending hours going over the song. We weren’t the happiest about being posted to Tville even while we tried to make it feel like a fun adventure. I distinctly remember feeling the song was so fitting as I avoided signing my new work contract, sitting in a room that actually had a pretty good view…
Mitch, you mentioned zoning out to King of the Hill while noodling on guitar — what made that particular moment spark something worth turning into a track?
Mitch: It was a time where we were trying to work out what songs to record so I to have my guitar with me all the time to finish them. Sometimes I’d catch myself looping sections into the abyss while staring at the TV, trying to work out the melody. I’d make up lyrics using the show and if I didn’t get anywhere I’d just lose myself back to the TV eventually
Evie, you pushed your vocal approach on this song. What new techniques or ideas did ‘No Vacancy’ unlock for you as a performer?
Evie: For me it was about learning to hit each consonant with enough attitude that you could feel how bitter each word is. The other part is Chen always pushing me to try going an octave up on certain segments in each song – it always adds a fun challenge as I have to work out belting techniques for different vowel shapes, word deliveries, word lengths, and how to bring my voice out of a belt to tail off the end of the word.
The track has shades of early WAAX and Paramore — how do those influences naturally weave into the Pilot Crisis sound without overshadowing your own identity?
Mitch: I’m a sucker for fun guitar riffs and both of these bands are full of them. I wanted to write riffs that looked like you were enjoying yourself on stage and were fun to play that make you want to jump around when you hear that first strike. I felt this when I had the Wild and Weak EP on repeat and seeing them live made you wanna thrash around.
Evie: I very much model clarity and technique off Paramore songs, but for this song I also had myself listening to a lot of The Pretty Reckless, Halestorm, and lots of Marmosets to pick out the attitude they bring and learn why some word deliveries are chosen.
You worked with Matt Cochran and Brock Weston again on this single. What made this team the right fit for bringing ‘No Vacancy’ to life?
Mitch: Matt, Tim (drummer) and I played in a band together in highschool called “Minus Nine” and have remained close friends ever since. We know each other quite well which allows us to enter recording mode relaxed and focused. He gets the best performances from us while knowing what we are trying to achieve. It’s fun working together so it doesn’t feel tedious. Brock was Matt’s recommendation from when we recorded Misguided. We loved how it sounded so have always gone back to him.
Evie: Matt became a friend of mine through Chen, and we recorded our first two singles with him. He is genuinely one of the coolest people, but also he is so smart and knowledgeable that it makes every recording process a breeze. Plus he has good humour so every recording session is pure fun (even with hours upon hours of recording). These things are super important when you’re anxious, it helps you just focus on the art instead. Brock is an automatic option for us, he knows our sound well.
You’ve had a big run recently with tours alongside Vipersnatch and support slots for Beddy Rays. How have those shows shaped the new music you’re creating?
Mitch: Watching Vipersnach take the stage felt like an explosion. They were confident, passionate and loud in what they believed in. Off stage they were kind, funny and actually chatted with us. It set the bar for what bands we wanna play with. Beddy Rays welcomed us to the show with open arms and were the nicest guys. They showed us it’s all about having fun with your mates and not taking things too seriously cause they can be your family. When we think of Beddy Rays we think remember it’s for fun.
Evie: Playing alongside Vipersnatch was so much fun – now that’s a cool group. It was awesome to see how they work together. And playing with Beddy Rays was amazing – it showed us what it’s like to play in front of a bigger crowd, and also exactly why they’re at the top of their game. Both their groups being good friends within themselves made me aware of how important the PC group is, and how our friendship matters and that people love to see it. But it made me competitive in a way – I want to be as engaging on stage as both of these bands, and I want people to love what we bring to the table.
Pilot Crisis has evolved from the angst of ‘Misguided’ to electro-pop touches on ‘Sad Sunshine’ and strings on ‘Turning On The Tele.’ Where does ‘No Vacancy’ sit in that evolution?
Mitch: Instrumentally when I write I try to keep things different to feel like I’m always evolving creatively. We went from ‘We want a guitar heavy riff punk song’ to a ‘Get Tim to layer some drums and see what happens’ and then a ‘let’s see what Evie can come with on her cello.’ Whenever someone in the jam room has any idea, you gotta give it a try and in this case it was a ‘does any of our songs start on a verse yet?’
Evie: No Vacancy is different for listeners, but every song will be – that’s the Pilot Crisis way. We don’t want you bored, and I swear we get better with every song we write together.
The song captures the spiral of overthinking and boredom. What were the biggest real-life moments that fed into that feeling?
Mitch: I finished maybe 3 seasons of King of the Hill over a weekend while plonked on the couch. I’d get restless but not wanna leave what I was doing. I’d feel bored but not have the energy to really do anything. I’d make mental plans to go outside and be outdoors with nature but I seemed to make an imaginary anchor I couldn’t release.
Your lineup changes, marriages, and new babies all happened while building this next chapter. How has real life chaos influenced the band’s creative energy?
Mitch: It puts what matters most to us in perspective. I went from wasting hours every day to now knowing I may only get 30 minutes to myself to maybe even start writing something new. My daughter is just over one and I love sharing everything band related with her, even if it’s just playing The Wiggles for her. Playing music is the greatest drug on the planet for stress relief and I feel quite lucky to have it as an outlet when things can get overwhelming in dad life. I try to make the most of what time I get in keeping things simple and not overthinking too much riffs or song structure and challenge myself to just do what I can with what time is available to me in the moment. If I only get an hour in the week to show the guys a riff I’ve been working on, then it’s presented more raw, likely with a lot of mistakes but it feels more real when it hits your ears first. We channel that into some new songs coming up and we’ve been having a lot of fun writing this way.
With more singles on the way and momentum building, what does the next stage of Pilot Crisis look like heading into 2025?
Mitch: We have several singles ready to be released so it’s just now on us to stick to our plan and put the effort into releasing them over the first half of the year. While that’s going on we are putting a focus on finishing off writing songs and getting started playing gigs with more hometown heroes.
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What inspired you to write a love letter to the 2010s internet era, and why did that particular time feel important to revisit through “All I’ve Got”?
If you know me IRL, you will know that I am constantly shouting from the rooftops about how important that time was in culture and its impact on everything today. I feel like that time signifies a really formative moment not only in my life but so many of my friends’ lives and I feel like in the music I make it’s really important that I try and give it the respect it deserves. I feel like culture, especially the heavier side of rock music that we’re around, is constantly dominated with the important narratives in men’s lives and how their formative teenage experiences influenced them. I feel like it’s definitely my mission as an artist to offer up this perspective that a lot of women may have felt is both glazed over and sometimes just seen as a “silly fangirl experience,” and dive into how important it was to all of us.
How did your own teenage experiences online — Tumblr, fandoms, the scene — shape both the lyrics and emotional tone of the song?
I wanted to draw from direct experiences and try and be as specific as possible — for example, mentioning seeing a band on a Sunday night on George St (where the Metro Theatre in Sydney is), having New Found Glory on your playlist, reading Rookie magazine. I love the idea of including these references as a personal touch but also as something listeners can insert their own specific memories of the time into.
The track captures such a specific kind of nostalgia — how did you strike the balance between sentimentality and freshness in its sound?
There’s also a lot less purposeful decision-making — we’re not sitting there with a 00s moodboard on the wall going “how can we create this?”. We’re just recreating the music that has the strongest emotional pull to us and that also comes from pop, electronic, oldies, and a ton of other stuff which gives this specific result.
Your bedroom studio setup in Enmore sounds like a time capsule of the 2000s–2010s. How did that space influence the creative process behind the EP?
We lived at home while doing our previous band, so now doing this out of home helps you really get lost in it because you’re on your own schedule entirely, and you can be as free as you want. I can walk around our kitchen with a guitar trying to think of something while Bianca tracks vocals — there’s just more freedom to move around. We can also just create a world, put books next to us, have movies playing with sound off, just turn our whole place into the vibe of the music so we just live in it and it can come out naturally.
Recording and producing the music yourselves adds a real sense of authenticity — what does DIY mean to The Admired in today’s music landscape?
Recording this EP ourselves was initially both set out as a personal challenge (having only ever worked with producers in the past) and also allowed us the space to figure out what we wanted this band to be without having to work to someone else’s timeline. We honestly really enjoy collaborating with other people but it was important to give ourselves some space away from the world to figure it all out.
There’s a clear emotional through-line between “Dancefloor” and “All I’ve Got.” How do these tracks connect to the broader story of your upcoming mini EP 3 songs?
All of these songs were written with a clear intention of not wanting to write from a perspective that was overly angsty or, for lack of a better word, sad. I think in the past I’ve fallen into patterns of writing lyrics from this “I’ve been so hard done by” perspective that I was purposefully trying to avoid this time around. I wanted to write songs that were more about romanticising these elements of life that we both love and that fascinate us as concepts — fame, nostalgia, New York, etc.
Bianca, your lyrics often weave between personal memories and cultural touchstones — how do you approach writing something that feels so universal yet specific?
I think my experiences as a teenager were really universal and shaped who I am today. I wasn’t the “coolest” person and didn’t go to crazy parties and do stuff like that, but my life revolved around being as much a part of music as possible and I feel like that was the reality for so many people my age — either through going to shows or online through things like Tumblr. I feel like the cultural touchstones of our generation are starting to creep into pop culture more and more, which is something I’m loving (particularly with Ninajirachi’s most recent album).
The Admired’s sound bridges modern pop and emo nostalgia — what artists or eras have most shaped your identity as a duo?
In terms of sound, the main references would be pretty obvious — Jimmy Eat World, The Starting Line, Motion City Soundtrack etc. All that good stuff. But we’ve always loved trying to write the catchiest songs possible and be inventive with production, which pop music has always been a space for. There are also modern bands like Mannequin Pussy, Militarie Gun, Scowl, White Reaper who just are themselves — they don’t seem fazed by what’s “cool” and let their authentic persona deeply connect with people. That’s very inspiring.
You’ve both built strong roots in Australia’s alternative scene through Grenade Jumper and beyond. How has that history informed this new chapter?
Oh, it definitely thickened our skin. Coming off of Grenade Jumper where we had a record contract, a team, and several tours lined up that we’d worked years for — and then having it all kind of dissipate overnight — there’s nothing that can hurt us now (hahaha). But going through all that gave us a way stronger sense of who we are and why we do this, so we’re no longer vulnerable to making bad choices based on anxiety.
What do you hope fans feel when they listen to “All I’ve Got” — especially those who lived through that same chaotic, heartfelt online world?
I hope that people see themselves and their experiences in the song — even if they didn’t live that exact era, I hope they can tap into their own formative experiences with music and relate to it. Hopefully it makes them tap into that invincible feeling you get when you’re so passionate about something that it takes over your life.
Upcoming Shows
Friday 28th November – Kick Ons @ Bootleggers – Sydney, NSW
Thursday 11th December – The Vanguard – Sydney, NSW*
Supporting GRXCE*
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Big lunch is BACK! Melbourne bogan-funk favourites Playlunch are set to bring their nostalgia-packed, good-time-guaranteed live shows across the east coast on a mammoth 29 date run in late 2025 and into 2026. Kicking off with an already sold out show in Belgrave, the Sex Ed Regional Tour will hit headline and festival stages across VIC, TAS, QLD, NSW, WA, and ACT from December through to May.
Victorian fans who missed out on the band’s Melbourne shows at 170 Russell, The Leadbeater and their surprise late night sets at The Night Cat will have ample opportunity to catch Playlunch in action throughout the first half of the year, with dates in Warrnambool, Phillip Island, Bendigo, Ballarat, Frankston, Lorne, St Kilda, South Morang, Traralgon, and Barwon Heads.
The band will venture back across the country to Western Australia, with dates scheduled on NYE, before heading back in January for performances in Bunbury, Margaret River, and Albany, as well as Queensland stops on the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast. New South Wales lunchers can catch Playlunch in Byron Bay, Albury, Gosford, Sydney, Newcastle, Avalon Beach, Wollongong, and Archies Creek, and Canberra will be treated to a one-off show. Playlunch are also scheduled to return to Tasmania for Good Gumnuts Festival, plus a headline show in Hobart.
The regional run follows Playlunch’s completely sold out headline tour in September, where they played their biggest headline shows to date across the country. Reflecting on the tour and looking to the future, Playlunch say:
“It’s been such a wild 3 months since we put out our sophomore album Sex Ed, and the response has been insane. The cap city album tour was absolutely bonkers – we’re still pinching ourselves that all those shows SOLD OUT so quickly (in such MASSIVE venues…what the helly) and the response from people was just wonderful. We also know how many people weren’t able to make it to one of those gigs or missed out on a ticket, SO……
We’re announcing our biggest headline run to date across regional locations around Australia (with a few festivals and special exclusive shows sprinkled in for good measure!). Touring regionally has always been such a big priority for our band since the very start, and getting around to all the people who continue to support us. To be able to keep the Sex Ed train rolling is so special! We’ll be playing a whole heap of the new tracks from the record live for the very first time in these locations (can’t wait to show you!), as well as all the favs from our debut album.”
Having just signed with international booking agency Mint Talent Group in North America, don’t sleep on the chance to see Playlunch in action before the rest of the world catches on.
“These will be the last Australian shows for quite a while as we are looking to see what the rest of the world has in store for us; so we hope you are able to grab a ticket and make it a night to remember. Everyone is in for an absolute treat, with a show of nonstop dancing and singing across the whole lineups!”
Playlunch’s Sex Ed album, released in August via ABC Music, was immediately adored, debuting at #7 on the ARIA Australian Artist Charts and cracking the Top 5 for physical sales. The release was followed up by an instant classic triple j Like A Version, with the group covering The Weather Girls’ ‘It’s Raining Men’. Earlier this month, Playlunch were nominated for two J Awards, including Unearthed Artist of the Year and Australian Music Video of the Year for their viral single ‘Keith’. The iconic track also made its way into bbno$’s setlist at his recent Melbourne show.
With an infectious catalogue of genre-blending tracks covering nostalgic and distinctly Aussie themes like school athletics days, Blue Light Discos, and the peculiar world of daytime TV on a sick day, Playlunch’s upcoming tour promises audiences a sense of euphoric escapism and unabashed joy. Pack your schoolbags and grab your Yu-Gi-Oh! cards for childhood nostalgia’s night of nights, coming to a city near you with additional dates due to be announced in the coming months.
Tickets are on general sale from Friday 21st November at 10.00am local time, with DAL/EARLY LUNCH presale available on Wednesday 19th November at 10.00am local time. Visit destroyalllines.com for tickets and further information.
Destroy All Lines presents
PLAYLUNCH
THE SEX ED REGIONAL ALBUM TOUR
with special guests
Friday 5th December – Sooki Lounge – Belgrave, VIC SOLD OUT
Wednesday 31st December – Indian Ocean Hotel (NYE) – Scarborough, WA
Saturday 3rd January – Lorne Theatre – Lorne, VIC
Friday 9th January – The Whalers – Warrnambool, VIC
Saturday 10th January – Ocean Sounds Festival – Phillip Island, VIC
Friday 16th January – The Deck – Bendigo, VIC
Saturday 17th January – Volta – Ballarat, VIC
Thursday 29th January – Prince of Wales – Bunbury, WA
Friday 30th January – The River – Margaret River, WA
Saturday 31st January – Albany Town Hall – Albany, WA
Saturday 7th February – Pelly Bar – Frankston, VIC
Saturday 21st February – Commercial Hotel – South Morang, VIC
Saturday 7th March – Republic Bar – Hobart, TAS
Sunday 8th March – Good Gumnuts Festival – Burnie, TAS
Friday 13th March – The Deck – Traralgon, VIC
Saturday 14th March – Barwon Heads Club – Barwon Heads, VIC
Saturday 28th – Archies Creek Hotel – Archies Creek, VIC
Thursday 9th April – Solbar – Sunshine Coast, QLD
Friday 10th April – The Northern – Byron Bay, NSW
Saturday 11th April – Miami Marketta – Gold Coast, QLD
Sunday 12th April – Finnians Tavern – Port Macquarie, NSW
Friday 24th April – The Espy Gershwin Room – St Kilda, VIC
Saturday 25th April – Beer Deluxe – Albury, NSW
Thursday 30th April – UC Hub – Canberra, ACT
Friday 1st May – Drifters Wharf – Gosford, NSW
Saturday 2nd May – UTS Underground – Sydney, NSW
Friday 8th May – King Street Bandroom – Newcastle, NSW
Saturday 9th May – Avalon Beach RSL Club – Avalon Beach, NSW
Sunday 10th May – UOW – Wollongong, NSW
DAL/Early Lunch Presale: Wednesday 19th November 10:00am local time
General On Sale: Friday 21st November 10:00am local time
For tickets & more information visit destroyalllines.com
About Playlunch
Forged in the depths of lockdown in a share house home-studio somewhere in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, Playlunch is the chaotic, genre-bending brainchild of producer and multi-instrumentalist Liam Bell. A wild blend of retro dance music, late ‘90s/early 2000s Aussie nostalgia and unapologetic suburban swagger, Playlunch aren’t just riding a wave—they’re creating their own: a loud, proud, and irresistibly fun genre they call Bogan Funk.
Since bursting onto the scene in April 2022, Playlunch have gone from a cult curiosity to one of Australia’s most exciting and talked-about new acts. Their 2023 debut album, Who’s Ready For A Good Time?, laid the foundations with viral TikTok moments, triple j High Rotation, and a sold-out 500-person shows across Australia – but Playlunch aren’t just a viral moment.
In an industry facing tough economic headwinds, Playlunch have defied the odds, powered by a fiercely loyal and ever-growing fanbase. Their 2024 showcase at BIGSOUND cemented their reputation as one of Australia’s most exciting emerging acts, with eyes now firmly set on their next era.
2025 has seen Playlunch cement their place in the national spotlight with the release of their sophomore album Sex Ed — a bold, cheeky, and sonically irresistible evolution of their Bogan Funk manifesto. The standout single “Keith” became a breakout hit, racking up over 3 million streams across DSP’s, 10 million+ views across TikTok and Instagram Reels, and earning triple j Feature Track alongside high rotation and community radio saturation across the country. Thanks to its hilarious yet heartfelt tribute to every middle-aged Aussie bloke you’ve ever known, “Keith” struck a chord far beyond their core fanbase—spawning thousands of memes, fan videos, drag performances and even unofficial pub karaoke nights. The track reached #1 on the Spotify Viral 50 (AU) and helped propel Sex Ed into national charts and end-of-year “Best Of” lists.
Playlunch’s insane live show has made them a must-see act across the country. Across NYE on the Hill, Party in the Paddock, Hyper Festival (to name a few), and a headline tour of packed-out 1200 CAP venues, they’ve built a reputation for turning any crowd into a sweaty, laughing, dancing mess. Wherever they go, Playlunch take nostalgic school disco and amp it up to full-blown festival euphoria.
CONNECT WITH PLAYLUNCH
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TIKTOK | SPOTIFY
Newtown is well known to be the go-to date night spot for most Sydneysiders, on a summery night in the busy street of Enmore, a restaurant debut had reservations out the door. Sydney’s very own hometown hero Grentperez was bringing his much anticipated “Backflips in a Restaurant” World Tour home, bringing ‘G’s Bar & Grill’ to the Enmore’s iconic stage to deliver his most charming show yet.
A true showman, Grent stayed true to his ‘Restaurant Manager’ persona as he welcomed the crowd to his show. Joining him was Timi Temple on guitar, stepping into the role of the head chef for the night, and Ichi Tanabe mixing both rhythms on the drums and drinks as the bartender. The trio gave added a layer of effortless comedy to the night, quipping away at each other and slipping in many little nods to memes and viral TikTok moments.
On the menu, an energetic entree of some of his vibrant hits, including ‘Dandelion’ and ‘Clementine’, captivating the audience with his mix of soft vocals and punchy sounds. A special main course was delivered for one lucky couple that got to dine at the best seats of G’s Bar & Grill; A candlelit table for two set with Timi providing some ambient violin, all before a special serenade to Grent’s own song ‘Yours to Keep’.
The night was a true spectacle that showed how true of a showman Grent really is; from the stage setup to the energy that the band showed on stage, right down to how the track listing felt so natural and engaging; songs seamlessly blending each other while the trio would break out into skits to introduce each song (my favourite being Ichi’s introduction to Everest). Grent’s own charm and energy was unmatched; it felt more like an evening with a friend you hadn’t seen in a few months than a night at a concert, a true credit to his own hospitality and positive energy.
Grent closed his set out with familiar favourite ‘Cherry Wine’ and his newer track ‘Fuzzy Feeling’, which was met with an overwhelming amount of positivity, a reception fit for the track itself. Thank you to Grent and team for giving such a brilliant dining and concert experience to all of us who attended, the energy was unmatched and like no other, cannot wait to make a reservation at G’s Bar & Grill again!
Photography: Josh Ma – Review: Ken Magno
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The worldʼs leading super-premium tequila joins Australian musicʼs biggest night to celebrate craftsmanship, culture, and creativity.
PATRÓN Tequila, the worldʼs leading super-premium tequila, has been announced as the Official Spirit Partner of the 2025 ARIA Awards in partnership with Spotify, taking place on Wednesday 19 November at Sydneyʼs Hordern Pavilion.
The 39th ARIA Awards will once again celebrate the very best in Australian music on its biggest stage, bringing together the nation’s most talented artists and industry icons for a night of extraordinary performances, collaboration, and creativity.
At a time when Australian music continues to grow momentum on the global stage, Patrón is deepening its commitment to homegrown talent – championing Australian artists and amplifying the voices that deserve to be heard.
“At PATRÓN, we celebrate those who take their craft to new heights, those who pursue greatness in everything they do and there’s no better stage for that than the ARIA Awards,”
said Lisa OʼNeill, Marketing Manager, PATRÓN Tequila Australia.
“Together with ARIA, weʼre raising a glass to artists, the producers, and the creators shaping the sound of Australian music, a true celebration of craft, creativity, and excellence.”
As the Official Spirit Partner, PATRÓN will elevate the ARIA Award experience with a series of inspired touchpoints that capture the artistry, celebration, and pursuit of greatness that define both brands.
From signature serves of PATRÓN El Alto, to the exclusive backstage bar for winners to celebrate their achievements, and the high-energy PATRÓN After Party, every detail has been designed to embody the brandʼs commitment to authenticity, excellence, and shared moments of celebration.
Backstage, a bespoke ARIA and PATRÓN El Alto bar will serve as the ultimate destination for ARIA Award winners to celebrate their success and reflect on their journey. Featured as part of the broadcast integration, it offers winners a quiet moment to pause, reflect, and acknowledge everything it took to get there.
To cap off the evening, PATRÓN will bring a taste of Hacienda PATRÓN, the brandʼs home in Mexico, to Sydneyʼs Hordern Pavilion for the official PATRÓN x ARIA Awards After Party. Lush agave plants and flowing Margaritas will set the scene as Australia’s leading music talent comes together to celebrate the night’s achievements. The dance floor will come alive with live DJs at the PATRÓN DJ Booth, ensuring the festivities continue long after the final award is announced.
Annabelle Herd, CEO of ARIA, said:
“It is great to welcome PATRÓN Tequila as the Official Spirit Partner of the 2025 ARIA Awards. The ARIAs are a celebration of excellence and achievement, and PATRÓNʼs commitment to recognising our amazing local talent, creativity, and success makes them the perfect partner for the Awards.”
Grounded in craftsmanship, storytelling, and cultural connection, PATRÓN continues to redefine how brands engage with major cultural moments, celebrating creativity and excellence in the pursuit of greatness.
Seattle-based composer and pianist Richard Dillon returns this November with Fernweh: The Need to Travel, a captivating and cinematic solo piano album that evokes the timeless power of wanderlust, introspection, and emotional landscapes. Spanning compositions written between 2017 and 2025, this 16-track collection unfolds like a series of sonic postcards — each piece representing a place, a mood, or a moment forever etched in memory.
The title Fernweh, a German word loosely translated as “an ache for distant places,” captures Dillon’s lifelong fascination with travel — not just across physical space, but across emotional and psychological terrain. It’s fitting given Dillon’s background: growing up with Asperger’s and ADHD, he often turned to the piano as a navigational instrument for internal exploration. Through music, he found not only a refuge but also a way to connect with others and the world around him with depth and empathy.
The album opens with the tender “Breakfast with My Best Friend,” immediately immersing listeners in a sense of personal nostalgia. It’s intimate yet universal — the kind of track that feels instantly familiar, like the scent of coffee in the morning air. From there, Dillon moves through a variety of tonal settings. “Camelot,” with its sweeping romanticism and melodic grandeur, suggests imaginary kingdoms and childhood dreams. “Only Tomorrow Knows” strikes a more contemplative tone, reflecting uncertainty yet holding onto hope.
But Fernweh is no simple exercise in sentimentality. Dillon plays with emotional and sonic contrasts throughout the album — from the delicate nostalgia of “Chasing Butterflies” to the solemn, ambient textures of “-20,” a piece that captures the stark stillness of winter. “Echoes of a Broken Heart” stands out for its emotional rawness; it’s a widely cinematic track that evokes grief, resilience, and the surprising beauty of vulnerability.
The album’s closing track, “Mother’s Eyes,” is a lyrical meditation on love, lineage, and presence — a fitting finale to a journey that has been both outward and inward. It reinforces Dillon’s ability to translate deeply personal experiences into universal expressions, an approach that has resonated with audiences from Pandora listeners to global Spotify streams.
Though categorized under New Age and Neo-Impressionist genres, Dillon’s approach feels refreshingly modern. His compositions are cinematic without being bombastic, reflective without being indulgent. It’s music made not just to be heard, but to be felt — a soundtrack to your memories, your quiet mornings, your wanderings, your returns, and everything in between.
Fernweh: The Need to Travel reminds us that music can be a passport to places we’ve never physically been, or no longer can return to. It releases on November 7, 2025, on all major streaming platforms — a perfect companion for introspective autumn days or winter nights by the window.
Connect with Richard Dillon:
Website: richarddillonpiano.com
SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/richard-dillon-solo-piano
YouTube: @richarddillonpiano
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/richard-dillon-a07a9a162
“Garden-Variety Grief” feels both deeply personal and universally relatable. What moment or realisation first sparked the idea for this song?I wrote the song after my dad passed away. I was pretty messed up, and I was looking around me and noticing, for the first time, really how everyone in my life seemed to be going through something heavy. Loss is this universal thing; we’ve all been through it. But we’re still here, we’re still getting up in the morning and living our lives and even finding moments of beauty in the world, while also carrying the hard stuff with us. I think that’s a pretty wonderful thing.
You’ve described the track as “a sad/happy cry on the dancefloor.” How did you balance that emotional tension, between grief and joy, in the songwriting and production process?
I’m not sure I balanced it as much as careened wildly from one to the other! I think grief and joy exist in equal parts in the album; that’s what I was trying to capture because I think that reflects life after loss. There were lots of tears in the studio, but also lots of laughs.
The song is your first release from a full album produced by Anna Laverty. What was it like collaborating with her, and how did her approach shape the sound and emotional depth of the track?
Anna was amazing. A lot of the songs are super vulnerable, so I knew I wanted to work with a producer who I felt really comfortable around. Anna is such a sensitive producer and empathetic person; she really made space for the emotions of it all. She also had tons of great ideas right from pre-production through to mixing. The process was really collaborative.
The title “Garden-Variety Grief” is both poetic and grounded. What does that phrase mean to you now, having lived with the song for a while?
It’s a phrase that gets to how grief is so ordinary, so common. My grief is nothing special; we’ve all been through loss. But of course, your own grief feels unique, even isolating, because no one is feeling exactly what you’re feeling. No one is grieving the relationship you had with that person in precisely the same way you are. So to me, grief is kind of extraordinarily ordinary.
The video, directed by Nayomi Pattuwage, captures striking imagery, lamps glowing in the dark paddock. What did that visual concept represent to you?
We wanted to capture that idea of holding joy and pain together at the same time, of feeling like, even in dark places, there are moments of light.
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You’re taking this song on a Garden Tour across Victoria, performing in community gardens. What inspired the idea of bringing your music into those open, natural spaces?
The single is about finding light in dark times. For me, the things that help me do that are community, music and nature. So I wanted to find a way to bring all these things together on the tour. And the more I started exploring, the more I realised there are countless community gardens all over the country, with people coming together to build something really positive and special. I’m just stoked I get to hang out in broad bean patches every weekend!
You’ve toured across North America and Europe and shared stages with major acts, but this series of intimate garden shows feels quite the opposite. How does performing in that kind of setting change your relationship with the audience?
It’s really different, which I love. The shows are intimate, so I usually get to chat with most people after the set. There are usually lots of dogs and kids, plus the shows are during the day, out in the sunshine and amongst all the plants and trees and flowers. The shows feel more like a conversation with the audience, rather than a one-way thing.
Grief is often something people shy away from talking about, yet this song feels like an invitation to connect through it. What do you hope listeners take away when they hear “Garden-Variety Grief”?
Grief can be so isolating; it creates a distance between you and the people around you. When my dad died, I found that a lot of people really struggled to know how to talk about their own grief, or to ask about mine. At the same time, I think there’s a strange comfort in knowing that everyone has been through hard stuff; we’re all walking around nursing loss. They’ve survived it, and so will you. Maybe if we talked about it more, it wouldn’t feel so isolating. So I guess I hope that people take away some sense of solidarity.
Looking ahead, what can you tell us about the upcoming album, and how does “Garden-Variety Grief” set the tone for what’s to come?
The record explores denial in many guises: denial of how you really feel, denial after losing a loved one, denial about the future. There are songs in the vein of Garden-Variety Grief, with that 90s-influenced indie rock feel, and then there are also some vulnerable alt-folk tracks. I hope people will find that there are moments of darkness and grief, as well as moments of light, humour and resilience.
Upcoming shows:
15 November – Springdale Community Garden Curlewis, Australia
22 November – Secret VIP show Melbourne, Australia
11 April – Mirrorball Ministries West End, Australia
Tickets and information at: https://www.annasmyrk.com/
Photography: Jake Harm Nam
Meanjin / Brisbane rockers Pilot Crisis return today with their melodic earworm ‘No Vacancy’. Stream HERE and watch the music video HERE. Influenced by the vocal intensity of early WAAX and the dynamic guitar sounds of Paramore, ‘No Vacancy’ is an infectious, energetic slice of alt-rock laced with pop sensibilities. Guitarist and core songwriter Mitch Chen says the song was written in an introspective moment of deep procrastination.
“I was sitting on the couch watching King of the Hill, noodling on the guitar and thinking about how I’d spend long stretches of time just wasting away,” he reflects. “Hours would slip by while I kept dreaming of doing something better, but never putting the energy into actually doing it.”
Vocalist Evie Cowen adds she challenged herself on this song, noting it “unlocked new ideas and understandings for me on approaching performance and vocal delivery. It has been a great song to teach me to venture out a bit, and bring in some fun techniques.”
‘No Vacancy’ was brought to life by an all-star cast of Brisbane musicians, with Talk Heavy’s Matt Cochran engineering, producing, and mixing the track at Birthday Boy Studios, and Brock Weston of Bugs on mastering duties. The track follows what has been a pivotal few months for Pilot Crisis, touring with fellow Queenslanders Vipersnatch and supporting hometown heroes Beddy Rays while working on a slew of brand new music to follow in the coming months.
Pilot Crisis first turned heads in 2023 with the release of their debut single ‘Misguided’. The punchy, angst-fueled track became an immediate fan favourite, landing a fourth-place finish in Domestic La La’s 2023 Tuna Tuesday ‘Catch of the Year’. A band of constant evolution, they explored electro-pop elements alongside their signature power riffs in follow up single ‘Sad Sunshine’, and added strings à la Panic! At The Disco to their third single ‘Turning On The Tele’ in 2024. ‘No Vacancy’ sees Pilot Crisis as their most musically self-assured yet, with its vibrant, catchy chorus, powerhouse dual guitars and universally relatable lyrics.
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