Last Year's BIGSOUND Was Huge; Here's What The Class Of 2017 Are Up To Now

2017 was surely one of the biggest BIGSOUND's to date. Nearly 12 months on, the influence of last year's event is now in full effect, with a whole slew of acts rapidly rising from BIGSOUND to stages and radio stations all across the globe. Jessica Dale looks at what a difference a year has made for these BIGSOUND alumni.

If there was a single word on everyone's lips at BIGSOUND 2017, it was surely 'Stella'. No, not as in the Belgium beer or Blanche Dubois' sister, but rather Stella Donnelly. The WA artist blew crowds away with her brutally honest songs, including the commanding Boys Will Be Boys. Donnelly walked away from the week having packed out showcases, picking up the Levi's Music Prize and gaining worldwide attention. She's since played Splendour In The Grass and Sydney City Limits festivals, as well as touring with fellow BIGSOUND 2017 alum Alex The Astronaut and picking up an international recording deal.

Confidence Man certainly earnt the right to feel confident after their BIGSOUND appearance. If you weren't already sold by their synchronised dance moves (to be honest, we were...) their very catchy tracks are probably more than enough. They've gotten themselves signed to Heavenly Recordings in the UK, played some pretty impressive sets at Falls Festival and Primavera Sound, and have dropped their debut album, Confident Music For Confident People.

Didirri's 2017 BIGSOUND run went so well that he's heading back for another round in 2018, where crowds will once again heed the call of his sweet, sweet voice. This year, the Warrnambool-raised singer will already be walking in with a recording deal, an agent and a whole lot of performance experience under his belt.

There's no way we could talk about BIGSOUND 2017 successes without mentioning Baker Boy aka Danzel Baker. Just a month after his appearance he was signed to the Select Music roster with Select's Stephen Wade saying Baker "delivered the best debut performance I've seen in as long as I can remember." 2018 has seen Baker Boy perform to sold-out shows on his headlining regional tour, feature on the contemporary update of Yothu Yindi's iconic Treaty, and be named the Breakthrough Independent Artist of the Year at the AIR Awards.

Brisbane's Hatchie, real name Harriette Pilbeam, has just picked up the fourth-round award for the Levi's Music Prize, which sees her score a cool $25,000, which she'll put towards touring to the US, UK and France. She's also got herself a deal with Ivy League Records and a stack of festival appearances. "When I look back on this period of time, I think I'll see Hatchie as a huge evolutionary force in my life," said Pilbeam back in November. Sounds about right.

It was announced back in April this year that Manu Crook$ had picked up a deal with Primary Talent in the UK and Europe and if his new track Fuego is anything to go off, things are going well in Camp Crook$. He got Zane Lowe's sign-off with Assumptions premiered on the Beats 1 program, and he continues to win over crowds at home and around the world, like at the very recent Splendour In The Grass.

Sydney four-piece Dear Seattle certainly got crowds moving at the Crowbar. Since then, they've started working on their debut album, following the success of their self-titled EP. Violent Soho's James Tidswell has taken a shine to the group too, signing them as one of his maiden acts on the newly established Domestic La La label.