More Aussies acts to showcase at The Great Escape, SXSW
Some of Australia’s export-ready acts are heading to two of the world’s biggest showcase events.
Five are confirmed for The Great Escape in Brighton, England (May 11 to 14) and another added to the 12 invited to play South By Southwest SXSW) (March 11 and 20).
The Great Escape has a reputation for showcasing the best of the new, attracting promoters, agents, publishers, artist managers and label executives.
Budjerah from Fingal Head, NSW, heads abroad after an express lane ride, with wider radio acceptance for the ‘Wash Away Your Sorrows’ single and winning the Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2021 ARIA Awards following the New Talent of the Year gong at the National Indigenous Music Awards.
Melbourne actor/drummer turned singer-songwriter Grace Cummings nailed her psych-indie rock with self-produced sophomore album Storm Queen.
Asked what piece of advice she’d give her 18-year-old self, she replied, “You’re insane but it might work out for you if you embrace it.”
Following the acclaim and greater media profile for Storm Queen, recorded in just a few takes, as well as her singing style, she’s embracing 2022 with international forays.
NSW Central Coast siblings and cousin folk outfit Little Quirks are on their first international visit with a sound – “it’s folky, raw music that makes you feel something” – which they honed last year with on the road on festivals like SummerSalt and airplay for ‘Devils Ivy’.
After her 2020 breakthrough with ‘Nicotine’, Sycco slammed it home with ‘Dribble’. She won the 2021 Queensland Music Award for Song Of The Year.
Touring since 2015 with a brand of blue-collar power-rock with anthems like ‘Feels Good Now’, The Vanns have been selling out in all the capital cities.
Little Quirks and Cummins are already on the showcase list for SXSW from earlier rounds.
Added to the list this week was Mackay, North Queensland hailed singer-songwriter Jack Gray who’s been on the One To Watch list since 2017’s ‘Red Rental Car’.
Turning 23 this year, Gray set up international acceptance with tours through the US, UK and Europe opening for Dean Lewis, with over 15 million streams and a large following on TikTok.
Last year he kept the momentum going with ‘Selfish’ on Warner Music.
His ‘This Is Our Time’ – which started out as a theme song “about how our generation is just killing it” – was adopted by the Australian squad at the Tokyo Summer Olympics.
Other Aussies invited to SXSW include Alex The Astronaut, Children Collide, MANE, Sarah Mary Chadwick, Eliza Hull, Chela, Indigo Sparke, Tom West, The Wanderers and Jo Schornikow.