Australia has no shortage of local talent, with many up-and-coming artists out there for you to listen to.
The following artists/bands have less than 10K monthly listeners (on Spotify) at the time of writing.
The Bluebottles
Indie rock lovers will find a new fave in Brisbane four-piece The Bluebottles. Find yourself singing along with lead vocalist Connor Wright and jamming to guitar solos in The Bluebottles' groovy tunes.
Recommendations: “Lost In Desire”, “Slow Side” & “Bittersweet Loneliness”
Flynn Gurry
Visitors or locals to Melbourne may have heard Flynn Gurry’s folky vocals on the streets of the CBD, with the singer-songwriter often found busking in whatever city he is in. Flynn can easily capture a crowd with his musicianship, with his twelve-string guitar and harmonica solos.
Recommendations: “Winter”, “Sunrise to Sunset” & “Changed My Life (Harve’s Song)”
Tiarnie
Tiarnie is immediately recognisable as an Aussie artist with her ocker vocals reminiscent of Missy Higgins or Alex Lahey. Throughout her lyrical stories, Tiarnie soundtracks her twenties with her fiery vocals and catchy guitar.
Recommendations: "Sorry (Too Much)", "Under My Skin" & "Maybe Tomorrow"
Leah Flanagan
Leah Flanagan has been releasing music for almost fifteen years, with some iconic collaborations in the process. Her laid-back tracks are perfect for a chilled-out afternoon or Sunday drive.
Recommendations: “Aralia”, “Love Like Water” & “Beautiful Thing”
Sash Seabourne
Australian Idol viewers will be all too familiar with Sash Seabourne, who made it into the top nine in the 2023 competition. The Western Australian artist has deep vocals perfect for the folk genre and has the potential to be the poster child for Australia’s folk scene.
Recommendations: “Raised By Rivers”, “Receiver” & “White Horses”
Montana Kennedy
Queensland has their very own Kelsei Ballereni in Toowoomba-based Montana Kennedy. Montana blends country and pop to (in her own words) to make what music would sound like “if red dirt & skyscrapers had a fling.”
Recommendations: “space between”, “blueberries” & “eggshells”
Lili Murtagh
If you want witty, self-aware lyricism, Lili Murtagh has you covered. With less than 100 monthly listeners, you have the opportunity to be pretentiously indie about the self-producing artist.
Recommendations: “No More Tears”, “The Day After Tomorrow” & “Oh, Boy”
Chelsea Manor
Chelsea Manor are responsible for an iconic cover we didn’t know we needed – a punk version of the intro song to the childhood-defining Round The Twist. With punk roots, Chelsea Manor explore the boundaries of genres, dipping into new territory.
Recommendations: “Predator” & “Tide Times”
Sweater Curse
Friends coming together to make music always seems to create fantastic vibes. The Brisbane based indie trio combine rock, punk and pop to create their own unique sound complete with multiple vocalists.
Recommendations: “Close”, “Economising On Cabs” & “Caught Up”
Stimpies
In March 2022, I found myself absolutely losing my mind to “Frankly Federal Slander” in the pit at The Forum. Screaming back “For fuck’s sake” was one of the highlights of my night, feeling totally unhinged.
Recommendations: “Frankly Federal Slander”, “never stay the same” & “Mango Weather”
Oscar the Wild
With bass lines not unlike the iconic Camp Cope and grungy vocals, Oscar the Wild will have you banging your head along to their tunes. The four-piece are starting to gain more recognition ahead of the release of the debut EP, hinting that they’ll be hitting that 10K very soon.
Recommendations: “Kiss Me Aprhodite”, “Unafraid” & “My Daisy”
CANISHA
Starting her musical journey as a busker in Melbourne, CANISHA blends pop, R&B and soul with raw lyricism to create groovy tunes. 2023 saw her release her debut single, and with only three songs out to date, CANISHA has a bright future ahead of her.
Recommendations: “Art” & “Nowhere”
Be sure to check out all the artists on streaming services and social media to keep up to date with their releases.