Jaguar Jonze, Flowerkid Among First Acts for SXSW
Jaguar Jonze, Flowerkid and RVG are among nine Australian acts selected to showcase at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, next year.
191 artists from around the world were announced in the first round.
The nine local acts have been signalling they are export-ready and making up for lost time after the pandemic.
Brisbane-based Jaguar Jonze is currently in the U.S. and this weekend plays two club shows in Los Angeles.
Her current album “Bunny Mode” was released in June through Nettwerk Records, and received support from the U.S. papers and college radio, while BBC Radio 1’s Future Artists show named her a featured artist.
Flowerkid, (aka teen Sydneysider Flynn Sant), had been working towards an international profile with an overseas business team.
These include Billie Eilish’s management for the United States and Canada (he’s already globally repped by Sydney-based Wonderlick Management) with overseas labels including Warner Music imprints Atlantic in the U.S., and Parlophone for the U.K.
Melbourne rock band RVG, fronted by singer-songwriter Romy Vager, are expected to have new music out by the time of their showcase.
In June they announced the end of the cycle for their second album “Feral”, issued in April 2020 on Fire Records and Our Golden Friend, with plans to work on their third.
For Adelaide sibling trio Germein, the Austin visit picks up from previous touring through New Zealand, China, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, London and Toronto.
They played festivals such as the Isle of Wight Festival in the U.K. and the Women of the World Festival in Germany and in 2016 released a song collaboration with Swiss artists to enter a competition to represent Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest.
They’re nominated for most popular pop artist in the South Australian Music Awards, following up current single “Good For A Girl”.
Sydney-born singer-songwriter Hayley Warner moved to Los Angeles where she signed a publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music.
She wrote for other artists as Tina Arena, Nickelback, Katy Perry, Dami Im, Kelly Clarkson, Calum Scott and Tori Kelly.
She describes her current EP with lead-off track “You Were Once”, recorded during the pandemic in her spare bedroom after a period of soul-searching, “as the start of a new chapter for me.
“The songs are right, I’ve been in L.A. for ten years and I’m ready to share them.”
Adelaide singer-songwriter MANE (aka Paige Court) is currently on a 26-date U.S. tour until November 22.
Signed to Dew Process and Universal Music Australia, she struck a chord with an anthem to human connection with the single “My People”.
Gold Coast hip-hop act Jesswar is another who came through a turbulent pandemic isolation with a new focus and the “LIFE’S SHORT, LIVE BIG” mixtape through PIAS Australia.
They have got an eye on the European, U.K. and North American markets, saying, “I’ve been hustling and grinding here in Australia for about 6—7 years so I feel like it’s time to do stuff in different territories because if you don’t expand – you don’t grow.”
Great Gable, who formed in Perth in 2014 and quickly became triple j staples, this year released the single “Dancing Shoes” in April and “On The Wall In The Morning Light” in winter.
Six-piece Geelong, Victoria “farm rock” band Bones and Jones met at high school and over the decade worked on blending their mix of Australiana and Kiwi alt-rock.
They played this year’s BIGSOUND hoping to start some chatter with overseas delegates.
The other acts in SXSW’s first round were from America, Armenia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Scotland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Ukraine, and Wales.
Showcases spanning six nights are curated by SXSW programmers in collaboration with music export bodies as Sounds Australia, record labels, booking agencies, export offices, management and PR firms, publishers, media outlets, lifestyle brands and festivals.