TikTok creates local music hub for Ausmusic Month

Artwork by Molly Hunt

TikTok is celebrating local artists throughout the month of November with a dedicated music hub and programming line-up.

The hub, in celebration of Ausmusic Month, will spotlight emerging and chart-topping artists to follow, promote a series of livestreamed music performances and showcase curated playlists of First Nations music and classic Australian tracks.

It will be located on the Discover page within the TikTok app.

The platform’s Ausmusic Month LIVE lineup includes RÜFÜS DU SOL (Sunday, November 7), H3rizon (Thursday, November 4), Inoxia (Thursday, November 11), and DMA’s (Sunday, November 21).

On Friday, November 19, TikTok will also support Ausmusic T-Shirt Day and raise awareness for Australia’s national charity for the music industry, Support Act.

It will host a LIVE on TikTok event where users can pledge to help Support Act deliver crisis relief and mental health and wellbeing services to artists, crew and music workers who are doing it tough.

Spacey Jane, Carla Wehbe, Ashwarya and Isaiah Firebrace will perform in the evening via their individual TikTok accounts.

TikTok has also created a filter in collaboration with singer-songwriter and TikTok star Peach PRC. The filter comes with “candy pink lips” and “taps into Peach’s signature princess-in-pink look”, giving users the illusion of the artist’s “unforgettable style” in their videos.

Peach PRC (Photo credit: Jess Gleeson) 

Ollie Wards, director of music at TikTok Australia and New Zealand, said in recent years TikTok has become a home for the discovery and celebration of music.

“With the pandemic continuing to disrupt our live music industry over the past year, artists turned to TikTok to connect with fans from around the world. From previewing new music to behind-the-scenes videos and epic livestreamed performances, musicians have always provided the soundtrack to our community.

“Now, as things start to open up again across Australia, it’s more important than ever to double down on our support and celebration of the incredible local talent on TikTok – the singers, bands, musicians, DJs and beyond.”

Johnny Took from DMA’s said Ausmusic Month has never come at a more important time.

“Things are opening up and we need to remember and reignite the amazing scene and talent we have in Australia,” he said. “We can’t wait to perform for you on TikTok – playing live is such an important facet of our lives and what we do, and we couldn’t be more excited. It’s been a crazy 18 months for everyone, so let’s start making the right moves to bring it all back stronger than ever.”