MUSIC CATEGORY
ALEKS MATIC & AMOS KIM
BROKEN SPACE
ARTIST STATEMENT
‘BROKEN SPACE’ is a collaborative EDM Pop track by Sydney-based Artists ALEKS MATIC & AMOS KIM. The song lyrically is about the reconnecting of a past relationship that ended badly and the struggle of trying to rebuild it.
BIO
ALEKS MATIC is a Sydney-based singer, songwriter and music producer making EDM pop songs that are both personal and reflective of the world around him, specifically his life growing up in the suburbs of Sydney and the experiences he had growing up there which played a big role in shaping how he views the world and approaches his songwriting/music.
ATHANASIA
PETRIFIED
ARTIST STATEMENT
My neo-soul song draws heavily on the poker game analogy to convey a message of self-assurance and inner strength. It reflects the idea of keeping a 'power face' as you navigate life, holding onto the winning cards of your identity and choices, despite others trying to bluff you into doubt.
BIO
Clouded with sultry smoke and dripping in gold, ATHANASIA’s vocals are sure to create a sound for the senses. Fusing alternative-soul with up-beat electronica, she constructs both anthems for the summer and melancholic ballads. Her distinctive tone, both mellow and sonorous invoke names like Amy Winehouse, Adele and Billie Eilish. ATHANASIA’s journey to music started as a child, immersed by the sounds of her parents’ nostalgic CD’s that accompanied the long drives home. With their songs, unbiased to any decades or style, ATHANASIA developed an elemental affinity with music and began writing unrestrained by genre. Her music is most notably characterised by its frank lyrics and diaristic storytelling which captivate listeners and transports them to her innermost monologues.
AUDREY
ANA
ARTIST STATEMENT
There is nothing quite as conducive to creativity, as a heartbreak. As we succumb to self-indulgence and even lose ourselves in a torturous kind of introspection, we conjure up all sorts of possibilities in a world we no longer recognise as ours. My song 'Ana,’ based on a real person, aims to capture this experience. Contrasting a blend of warm vocal tones and arpeggiated chords from the great love song La Vie en Rose with a harsh lyricism and a perverted plot twist, 'Ana' ultimately asks herself the question we have all considered when forced to contemplate our own inadequacies in the dark: Why wasn’t I enough?
BIO
Audrey is a trilingual singer and songwriter hailing from NSW’s South Coast, and currently residing Sydney.
Both her style and songwriting approach are influenced by the likes of Alice Phoebe Lou, Anna Bates, November Ultra, Maro, Angel Olsen, and more recently, the Scandinavian folk composer Freyr.
Alongside her musical activity, Audrey is currently working as a translator and completing a thesis in French literature, looking specifically at the relationship between the book and sound.
BRIGITTE HERMIONE
TAKE CONTROL
ARTIST STATEMENT
‘Take Control’ is a personal representation of music of Brigitte Hermione, imagined completely differently. It is an intimate, carefully crafted song about being able to be vulnerable. In being open-minded, this song allows audiences to be sexual, an aspiring art piece that represents sexuality and the multifaceted nature of sexual encounters
BIO
Brigitte Hermione is a writer, singer and producer, who as an independent artist, is passionate for creating art upon her own accord. As a creator for 4 years, she is learning the ropes on making music that can inspire and connect with listeners, hoping to make a name for herself in a world of other talented artists.
CHIARA MINOTTO AND LEAH BERRY
COME RAIN OR SHINE
ARTIST STATEMENT
"Come Rain or Shine" tells a story of coming to the realisation that a situation or relationship was causing more harm than good. It shares the journey from "drowning" to being able to "breathe" again. Ultimately, we are responsible for our own choices, and deciding to leave a relationship is one of the hardest decisions to make, "Come Rain or Shine" is a reflection of that journey.
"Come Rain or Shine" was recorded by Mosiac, and features solos from Braden Clarke (Flugelhorn) and Lachie Eggert (Tenor Saxophone).
BIO
Chiara Minotto is a jazz composer and saxophonist based in Sydney. Her music has been described as textural, dynamic and evocative, blurring boundaries between genres and styles. Her music has been performed by Sydney Conservatorium, UNSW, and Spectra Jazz Orchestras aswell as the SYO.
Jazz vocalist Leah Berry is quickly establishing herself as one of Sydney's top musicians, captivating audiences with her soulful and velvety voice and evocative lyrics.
CHUEY
BRINGIN' DISCO BACK
ARTIST STATEMENT
Opening track of my sophomore EP, DIPTYCH which conceptually ties into my debut EP Tableaux. These two EP's act in duality, showcasing my two polar end styles, as well as introduce important themes that will be further explored my future albums and projects. More info in Spotify bio :)
BIO
Chuey, a classical & jazz-trained pianist, producer, and songwriter, blends his vast influences with a passion for mystery novels to create catchy yet intricate music. Featured in films, and with two successful EPs, he’s gained recognition from Triple J, FBI Radio, and is endorsed by Converse’s 2025 All Star Program.
EUNICE
NONSTOP
ARTIST STATEMENT
'Nonstop' is my first single released last month, sketched out based on a guitar loop sample that naturally brought out its chorus line. The songwriting was easygoing but post-production took rounds of refinement until everything sounded in place, and though not perfect, maybe that’s what it makes it whole. I collaborated with painter Oh Hyuck Jin (@ohj_paint) for this album cover art, who is currently holding an exhibition in Daejeon featuring this piece. It holds a special place in my heart.
BIO
EUNICE is a producer, DJ, and electronic instrumentalist based in Durham, NC and Busan, SK. Ever since writing her first original musical in 2021, she has been collaborating with multimedia projects ranging from track composition for art exhibitions to direction for musical theater productions. She is a current undergraduate student at Duke University, studying abroad at USYD.
GIANLUCA SANTORO
MICHELANGELO
ARTIST STATEMENT
'Michelangelo' is the lead single by Gian Santoro on their album Director's Cuts, reflecting on the hopes and dreams of the artist's inner child, the loss of youth and innocence and Gian's passion and hunger for hip-hop. The howling soul sample in the instrumental complements Gian’s animated delivery and deeply passionate lyrics; a great display of triumph through tragedy.
BIO
Gian Santoro is a hip-hop artist from Southwest Sydney whose music mainly focuses on topics of trauma, conflicting identities and finding a collective love through community and a passion for art. Gian’s style of music features introspective lyrics over soulful samples and lofi percussion, and they are constantly refining their craft to better project their soul. Their music is heavily inspired by the new wave of boom-bap emerging from New York in the 2010s, spearheaded by artists such as Roc Marciano and Westside Gunn.
GRACE NEWTON
CITY LIGHTS
ARTIST STATEMENT
This song is written from the perspective of someone very close to me. It is about getting out of an awful living situation. A situation where the people you lived with became your closest friends, and then in an instant everything flipped and you had to reimagine and rejig your life. It tells a story of the transition process of moving from a sharehouse to a studio apartment (with an amazing view of the Sydney city skyline), all the while figuring out who your true friends are, and that it really all worked out in the end.
BIO
Grace Newton is a singer-songwriter hailing from Robertson, a small town in the Southern Highlands. Raised in a musical family, Grace began her journey with piano at age five, then moved on to the flute at eleven, before discovering her passion for singing and songwriting. Her upbringing in the country deeply influenced her raw and intimate approach to music, creating a strong connection between her and her listeners.
HUNGRYGHOST
NIGHTFALL
ARTIST STATEMENT
A disorientating acousmatic experience, with field recordings blurring into each other and accumulating to form a dense wall of instability. An expression of the night during its darkest hours. Majority of the harmonic content is derived from my voice. This material source is intentionally unrecognisable, symbolising unheard cries in the night; concealed and manipulated by the noise pollution that envelopes the city.
BIO
With influences from Clams Casino and Flume, Hungryghost exhibits a discography that seeks to blur distinctions between electronic genres. Such a reconstruction is achieved through a stereophonic exploration into dystopian soundscapes; disorienting the psychoacoustic experience of listeners whilst embracing heavy, evolving textures. Ultimately, Hungryghost is a freeing pursuit into unknown territories.
JAY L’AMOUR
BE ALRIGHT
ARTIST STATEMENT
This song aims to encapsulate the feeling of longing you experience when away from someone you love. and the excitement and anticipation you feel dreaming about a future together.
BIO
This is my project, Jay L'amour. It's about nostalgia, endless summers, and romance. The name is inspired by Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and the word for 'love' in Mauritius, my birthplace.
JASPER O'NEIL
ROCKVALE
ARTIST STATEMENT
I wrote this piece as an expression of how it feels to be living in Sydney when you have grown up in the country. At the beginning and end of the piece I had city ambience that fades out to represent the way that even when I am in Sydney I still have a piece of me in the country.
BIO
My name is Jasper O'Neil, I am 18 and from Armidale. I moved to Sydney to study a Bachelor of arts and advanced studies and it has been one of the best experiences of my life!!
KATHRYN LUXFORD
ADDICTED TO YOU
ARTIST STATEMENT
'Addicted to You' is a track that I wrote about being obsessed with someone who's trying to play it cool with you. I wanted to create a fun, pop track that made you want to dance, but also expressed how crazy and obsessive chasing love makes us.
BIO
Kathryn Luxford is a Sydney based writer, producer, and artist, debuting with an acoustic EP at 11. Transitioning to pop, her track ‘Shut Me Down’ was recognised in the International Songwriting Competition. Now 21, and pursuing Honours at the Sydney Conservatorium, she’s gaining popularity with her vibrant live performances and quirky but fun pop sound.
OLIVIA WEI
GREEN EARTH
ARTIST STATEMENT
the story of an amicable yet fated friendship breakup 'green earth' conceptualises the sense of longing and nostalgia for a past friend. Both sides dealt with the inevitable tension and eventual dissolution of their friendship; the main catalyst being their colliding temperaments.
BIO
Olivia Wei (they/them) is a Sydney-based artist creating spacious, ethereal and soul-quenching music. Sharing the stage with a band built from years of musical honing and passionate discourse, expect to hear funky, disorienting melodies and an undeniable groove paired with vulnerable, isolated vocals that speak of the experience of a spunky young adult individual.
SAINT LAURENCE
BEEKEEPER
ARTIST STATEMENT
‘Beekeeper’ is a sun soaked pop anthem for the people who love to skip, gallivant and party hard.
BIO
Saint Laurence is a former ballet dancer now studying at USYD. He's an icon on TikTok and has been making music for the past five years in his spare time.