5 Aussie Artists To Watch In 2025

It’s been another massive year of music with countless artists reaching major new heights that just one year ago, they likely thought was never possible. In fact, so many amazing local musicians have kicked goals that far exceed their own expectations, leaving us to wonder about who might be on the cusp of some major successes in the next 12 months.

After focusing on big Aussie names like Amyl & The Sniffers, 3%, Fanning Dempsey National Park, Emily Wurramara, Pnau, The Teskey Brothers, and more for our Cover Stories this year, we thought it was high time to anoint the next era of local artists who will be commanding your attention as we go into the next calendar year.

With five rising artists from around the country chosen by The Music’s State Journalists, read on for Q&As with each of the artists to watch in 2025.

tiffi (NSW)

tiffi is an artist unafraid to blur the lines of genre and sound if it makes for a direct translation of her innermost thoughts and deepest secrets. At only 21-years-old, the Western Sydney artist creates music far beyond her years. Her EP cold medicine shoots a fiery arrow from the bow of a Miffy-obsessed, platform-wearing, leg warmer-brandishing anticupid, striking at those who drain her of her sanity.

On the other hand, the EP serves as a means of self-reflection and self-discovery, detailing the journey of accepting that she is both good and bad, and that’s perfectly okay.  On cold medicine, tiffi is her own hero – cape and mask in tow, ready to take on whatever the world throws at her.

Throughout 2024, tiffi has been able to take her vulnerable musing to live stages, from playing BIGSOUND, to sharing the mic with fellow Western Sydney artist Grentperez and ultimately bringing her EP on the road with her for her first ever headline tour. And there’s still so much of her story yet to be told. Beat the rush and get to know one of Australia’s most exciting pop princesses and discover why you’ll be hearing more about her in 2025. – Adele Luamanuvae

Q: You released cold medicine this year, the follow up project to 2023’s dating pool. How did that EP define the trajectory you were on musically/personally, and how do you feel you’ve been able to grow through that project?

A: cold medicine is such a special project to me. I have branded myself my whole life personally and in music with a cute and innocent persona, and making this project really allowed myself and hopefully others to see that I am multifaceted. I would hide a lot of my hurt and anger from others and myself, and I finally let a lot of it out.

It stands as a project that I will always look back on with pride, regardless of what kind of pop I make moving forward. 

Q: Taking cold medicine to audiences all over the country this year, how did it feel to see it resonate with fans in a live setting?

A: I kind of forget that the people who listen to my music are real – sometimes the statistics exist in a vacuum and end up feeling like just numbers on a screen. To see people react so positively to music I wrote, words I put together, and a project I worked so hard on was incredibly rewarding. I forget people can be so nice!

Q: In comparison to 2023, how has 2024 shaped, challenged or treated you?

A: I feel every year is challenging, I think looking back 2024 really challenged my self esteem and ambition, both in good and bad ways. There’s been a lot of questions of how much I’m willing to sacrifice to do my artist project, as the landscape of Australian music can be so difficult to navigate emotionally, physically and financially. I have so many worries, but I can say honestly I am buzzed for 2025. 

Q: What is something you’re most proud of this year?

A: I went on my very first tour! I really thought nobody would show up and I had so many fears of failing and what failure is for me. I truly put my whole heart and soul into those performances, I was bedridden for a week after because it was so exhausting. It truly was so much fun, I felt so proud.

Also, I am so proud of the music videos I put out this year – I love visuals and I really had to overcome a lot of insecurities to be able to film them. So proud of myself and my team this year. We slayed.

Q: What was the biggest lesson you learned this year?

A: The biggest lesson I learnt this year was to be patient with myself. I am working on comparing myself less to other artists my age. It’s kind of a realisation of we don’t all start with the same tools and privileges as others and so you can’t expect everyone to achieve the same outcomes in the same time frames. I think I know now that there are a lot of politics in music when it comes to who gets famous and who gets playlisted or seen more – a lot of it does lie in social economic status, biases the industry and society has on certain groups, etc.

Of course hard work and persistence is truly the key thing to succeeding in any sort of definition of the word, but also just reminding myself that I can’t compare myself to those who might’ve had a leg up in terms of financial freedoms to make music, access to connections or having a musical upbringing – also that I have many privileges others do not, and checking those.

I think I have accepted a lot that everyone’s unique journey is so important and how you come to music isn’t what matters. I need to remind myself more that I’ve achieved a lot and not neg myself so much!

Q: If a new listener wanted to get to know tiffi on a deeper level, where in your discography would you recommend they start?

A: cold medicine EP (deluxe version)! My heart is there and it's out there for anyone who wants to know me.

Q: Going into 2025, what’s something you want to learn more about?

A: I would love to lean into more songwriting, for myself and for others. I’d also love to work on music for film, video games or for commercial purposes. I think it would be fun.

Q: What does tiffi in 2025 sound like? What can you tease about what’s next?

A: I would tell you if I knew! It will be pop and it will be honest. That’s all I know for now. 

Echo Social Club (VIC)

When Echo Social Club hit live stages for the first time in early 2023, they did so not with a gentle introduction but an explosive debut. Featuring Jake Bicchieri of Pseudo Mind Hive on guitar and vocals and Neve Tullberg of Heavy Amber on drums, the pair were an incendiary addition to the Melbourne live scene, with their ferocious live shows packing a far bigger punch than their membership might suggest.

Since their humble beginnings, they’ve performed countless shows, with each and every appearance on stage seeing them blow even the headline acts out of the water. Alongside expected comparisons to the likes of The White Stripes, The Kills, and more, Echo Social Club have asserted themselves as not a derivative duo of musical nostalgia, but a progressive force to be reckoned with.

In 2024, the pair made their recorded debut and released their first EP, WHITE HEAT - WHITE NOISE. A truly blistering piece of work that is emblematic of their power in the studio and an immense suggestion of what their live show looks like, Echo Social Club might be a fresh addition to the scene, but their prowess and potential is limitless. – Tyler Jenke

Q: How did Echo Social Club first begin?

J: I saw Neve play in her old band, Heavy Amber, and I was with a bunch of my old bandmates and I just though, ‘Fuck man, she's so cool.’ As soon as I made eye contact, I said, ‘I'm gonna start a band with her, for sure’. I didn't know what it would be at the time, but when my old band took a break and we were working on other things, I was writing a bunch of stuff.

I didn’t know what form it was going to take, but I had the idea that I was gonna do a bit more of a traditional four, five-piece type thing. But every time I was trying to write I was just writing in the two-piece format, and it just became ingrained within my mind. 

Q: What are some of the influences that inform what we hear in Echo Social Club? Who are the musicians that inspire you both?

N: I'm definitely a Queens Of The Stone Age fan, and also The Kills. They’re my top artist this year, and they've always been one of my favourites. They’re so good; another two-piece. Those are my two mains. 

J: Barbra Streisand, Dolly Parton, Chet Baker, and The Weeknd. No, but obviously a massive blueprint for me has always been The White Stripes. The first time I ever heard them it felt like my brain composition changed, and that definitely was the archetype that I wanted to follow.

There’s the similarities of having a very unassuming, reserved person providing cannon-fire drums and having the front man or whatever, but we made a conscious effort to steer away from that comparison as much as possible. The comparison's amazing and we’re always happy to hear that, but we never, ever wanted to sound just like them. 

Like The Black Keys, The Kills, or something, I would say we probably steer more to that path. We want to be a two piece, but we don't want to sound like a two piece. I want people to close their eyes and think there's two guitarists and a bassist there. 

Q: You’ve both gone from being parts of a band to being one half of a band. What have the past couple of years in Echo Social Club taught you?

N: Friendship first and foremost.

J: That's definitely true. Even before we wrote a song, we were trying to hang out as much as possible. Neve’s my favourite collaborator in the world, and one of my favourite people, so getting in the room with other people here and there sometimes when the opportunities arise, it’s just nowhere near as good. Everything's different; we're just simpatico in that way.

It might sound cliché, but it’s taught me to trust my gut a lot. It’s easy to write a long song, especially in psych bands, but it's really difficult to write a short earworm. When we write, we have to cut things, trust our guts, and break it down to just the good bits. We want to trim the fat and make a good song that does exactly what it needs to.

N: The first single we put out was My Brother Ego, and that was six minutes long. That's on the flip side of that, and goes back to trusting your gut when you're workshopping things. 

J: We sat down, we looked at that song, and I was like, “This doesn't need to change.”

Q: You released the debut EP earlier this year. How did it feel to get that out there? What does it say about who you guys are as a band?

J: Those songs are the first songs that we wrote together at the very start. We've developed more since that has come out. Even when we were recording it, we had songs in the back pocket that we're sitting on. We probably could have recorded them, but we wanted these ones out first.

But even now, we're even revisiting songs on the EP when we play live. We've changed them up and we've added new choruses and all that kind of stuff.

As the EP stands, though, I think it definitely encapsulates the blueprint of where we want to go. It might be overly ambitious, but there are other ideas and concepts that we want to explore, and I think the EP lays the groundwork for it. Now we get to put some icing on the cake, so to speak.

Q: One of the most crucial aspects of the Echo Social Club experience is the live show. How do you describe the live show, and what do you try and do when you get out on the stage?

J: The mantra is; even if the songs suck, it sounds big. Even if you hate the song, thinks I'm my voice is annoying when I sing, or the way I move around fucking grinds their gears, if it still sounds big, then it’s mission accomplished.

There’s nothing wrong with being the strong silent type, like Clint Eastwood or Eric Clapton, and I love that some bands – like shoegaze bands – can put together a really good-sounding show, but I want people to feel like they’re seeing something where we’re putting in 150 million percent. Even if it’s a smaller crowd, I want people to think, ‘Fuck, that could have been a stadium show.’

Q: What do you want audiences to learn about Echo Social Club in 2025?

J: I feel it’s easy to see what we’re like when we’re playing. I think there’s no façade there, because when we’re on stage and talking or playing, it’s the same as when we come off stage. So I suppose it sounds dumb, but I’d like people to learn more about us.

When we write, I feel like we're writing stuff that I know is something that I would want to hear and I hope that other people would want to hear it as well. But even lyrically, I want people to be in on the joke. If we write something self-referential, I want people to say, ‘Oh, that’s Jake and Neve.’ I love when artists do that, and lean into the most egotistical, self-deprecating kind of stuff.

There's nothing more egotistical than getting on stage and fucking thinking that everyone wants to hear a seven-minute song. Like, who do you think you are? But if it resonates with people, then that’s kind of the goal.

Q: What’s coming next in 2025? What are the big goals for the band?

J: We want to put out these new songs that we want to do and then record our album. Whether or not we release it independently, I suppose that's yet to be seen, but we have an album written, and now it’s all about how do we reach our audience more? We obviously don’t want any of the efforts to be in vain; we want people to hear our music.

So it’s about expanding our sights and focuses, while also honing in on those people who are our fans or potential fans.

N: My main focus is getting these newer songs out, because I think we’ve found our feet, and I think these songs are more us. So getting them out is the main goal currently.

Q: What were your favourite musical moments of the year? They can be your own, a gig you saw, a song on TV, or something totally unexpected. What moments deeply moved you?

N: In our little world, my favourite moment was getting to dress up as Mulder and Scully from The X-Files for our Halloween gig.

J: We saw Queens Of The Stone Age together at the start of the year, and it was fucking amazing. Supporting Battlesnake, that was really good, too.

We've played some really, really good gigs, but in saying that though it's actually genuinely hard to pick one. It sounds like a cop-out answer, but it really has been a big year of gigs. It's been a grueling year, though. We've tried to do as much as we can, so now it's like, looking ahead to next year, I suppose. It's definitely been a good year, though.

N: Playing with friends is always my favourite as well. Like, playing with Dental Plan, playing with Fairtrade Narcotics, Y Street…

J: It's the friends you make along the way. It's not the destination; it's the journey.

Ixaras (QLD)

If you needed a sign that the next generation of musicians will be okay, Ixaras would be a massive green light, blinding you with the brightness of her future. The 17-year-old Brisbane rocker is destined for greatness – and is well on her way already.

She’s had a stellar year in 2024: headlining Gympie’s new Pride festival OUTER SPACE, supporting icons like Grinspoon, Skeggs, and Aleksiah on their tours, and releasing her own debut EP, Full Lover Fake Friend, mere months ago… Ixaras was not messing around.

And we haven’t even mentioned Anti-Dismal – Ixaras’ self-made label and event management company, which champions the work of local artists. Starting the company when she was just 14, the Brisbane teen wanted to make live music more accessible for younger punters by throwing all-ages gigs. And she’s been more than successful in that endeavour.

The ultimate enemy for laziness, Ixaras will achieve anything she puts her mind to. So look out. A star is being made as we speak. – Tione Zylstra

Q: You released your debut EP, Full Lover Fake Friend, late this year - what was that process like? 

A: It felt great to get a project out with no budget, especially an entire EP. I was given the option to scrap it and start new with more polished work, but I thought it would be more fulfilling to me and my development as an artist to see what we could do with absolutely nothing, before we would start going to fancy studios and working with insane producers.

I think it was more so an ode to my younger self who never had access to those things in the first place so I’m really proud of this project and hope it finds the right people. 

Q: You also run an event management company and label, Anti-Dismal. What does the future hold for that project? 

A: I just want to help artists and projects wherever we can, and make live music more accessible for people. A lot in store for next year.

Q: You’re only 17; How do you expect your music to evolve over the years, and have you noticed any changes already? 

A: Change is inevitable. I’ve already begun to see my growth in influence and sound, especially when Full Lover Fake Friend was made during a time of uncertainty navigating my early years as a teen. I’ve grown a lot more confident since then, in what I want artistically and now have begun to craft the universe in my head into music that is raw, and that I genuinely connect with.

Q: What is it like, navigating the music industry as a teenager?

A: I’m super grateful to have had people look out for me, especially my mentors and team who have always been there to lend a helping hand when I feel lost, especially because there’s not a lot of education about what to do when you first start out.

I think I most definitely want to help any way I can for people who enter it at a young age, because I know what it feels like to be confused and have doubt, but in the end the love for it overrules. 

Q: What’s been the biggest “pinch me” moment in your career so far?

A: When BENEE watched our SXSW showcase this year in Sydney, I was beaming. I had been listening to her since I was about 14, so her catching our set meant a lot to me. 

Q: And what artist would you say you sound the most like? 

A: I’m not sure to be honest, maybe Wet Leg, beabadoobee, and Wallows with the current project out now, but I know it would vary with the music I’m making at the moment.

Q: Tell us your favourite story from a gig – it could be from one of your own shows, or another you’ve attended. 

A: Earlier this year Anti-Dismal hosted a hardcore show at this community hall called AHEPA, and during one of the bands’ sets they brought out pillows and there was a massive pillow fight, so all this fluff went on the floor. Me, as the organiser, was a bit pissed off cause I was the one who had to clean it all up, but looking back, you don't see that kind of youthfulness at shows anymore, so I’m quite fond of that night.

Q: If our audience could only learn one thing about you, what would you want them to know? What’s next?

A: I would want them to know everything they are hearing in my music is an extension of myself. Some people may like it, some people may not, but no matter what, it’s a hundred percent me, it’s real, and there's so much more to say in my story. 

Swapmeet (SA)

Adelaide’s Swapmeet are one of the most exciting indie bands to watch. Emerging from the vibrant Kaurna music scene, their unique blend of indie rock, experimental soundscapes, and a punk ethos has captured local hearts.

Known for their chaotic, magnetic stage presence and emotionally resonant debut EP Oxalis, they’ve been making waves with accolades from the SA Music Awards, including Best Release and Best Song.

With plans to tour interstate and work on a debut album, Swapmeet’s fearless creativity and collaborative spirit signal a thrilling upward trajectory. – Emily Wilson

Q: Oxalis was your first full-length release as a band. What was the hardest part of putting it together, and what was the most rewarding thing about finally having it out in the world?

A: I think the hardest part of putting it together was the inevitable doubts and second-guessing about the songs chosen for the EP. We attempted to record the many songs we’d been playing live for over a year, but in that process realised that they more so represented us in our infancy, and weren’t really resonating with us at the time we started recording them.

It’s cool now that people from around the place can listen to the songs… we’ve made some pretty awesome friends and connected with some great bands just through having it out on the internet. I guess the small town nature of Adelaide makes those things feel pretty precious.

Q: What behind-the-scenes moments of recording Oxalis stick out in your memories the most?

A: I think one chaotic day where we decided to completely re-write a song we had been stuck on for a while. It was like nine hours straight of throwing everything at the wall and seeing what stuck, which felt ridiculous and creative in a child-like way.

Q: Is there any reason you settled on Oxalis as a name?

A: Oxalis comes from the Latin word for the flower ‘soursob’, Oxalis pes-caprae. This type of flower is common around our homes, especially the house where we first formed as a band, hence why it was the original name of Swapmeet. I guess we view it as an homage to our past and appreciation for what we still have.

Q: Speaking of names, 2024 saw you rebrand as ‘Swapmeet’ after originally being known as a ‘Soursob.’ Did this name change affect the energy surrounding the release of Oxalis?

A: Definitely – I think it came as a blessing in disguise, even though it didn’t feel like it then. We were given a fresh start in many ways, which was quite scary, we didn’t think anyone would know who we were anymore.

Luckily, no one knew who we were anyway. But yeah – we were all a lot more excited for the new start, and felt like a sense of pressure had been released and it’s a big part of how we were able to get Oxalis out.

Q: You are all such talented musicians and songwriters; you all have different strengths that you bring to the table. What does the songwriting process look like for you as a band? How collaborative is it?

A: We kind of all write songs, so usually one of us will have something to show at practice, whether that’s a progression or the whole song. Usually, we will jam it and try to arrange it, come up with lyrics and melodies together. A big part of the collaborative nature comes with the recording and mixing stage, and usually a lot will change then.

Q: You’ve been playing together since high school, and the band has seen a lot of change throughout that time. What has been consistent for you guys as a group?

A: Time, I guess. I can’t think of anything that has stayed the same other than the act of us four getting together and making music. 

Q: What is each member of the band’s number one tour necessity?

A: Prime and blue Takis. All of us.

I need a bag of mixed dried fruit - Jack

Q: What do you wish people knew about Swapmeet that they don’t?

A: We’ve had a fair few people come up at gigs and ask if we are called Swapmeet because we swap instruments, but it’s completely unrelated. We’re also all hotter in person.

Q: What were your favourite musical moments of the year? They can be your own, a gig you saw, a song on tv, or something totally unexpected. What moments profoundly moved you?

We all saw so many great bands at BIGSOUND together, such a world-expanding experience. Seeing Garage Sale play like six times in four days was incredible, we might actually start a garage sale tribute band at this point. We’ve recently had a few eureka moments while coming up with like new outros and stuff for some of our new songs, which we are super keen to share.

Q: What can people look forward to from Swapmeet in 2025?

A: More music and interstate shows!

Kayps (WA)

At just 18 years old, Perth-based Walmatjarri and Bunuba rapper Kayps is emerging as one of Australia’s most promising young talents. Seamlessly blending lush rap-pop melodies with breakneck lyrical flow, Kayps creates the ultimate summer soundtrack while showcasing an emotional and vulnerable edge in tracks like Hush.

A two-time triple j Unearthed High finalist, he’s quickly becoming a standout collaborator in Perth’s hip-hop scene, working with names like Mali Jo$e, Wesley Black, and Sowdy. Having played at SXSW Sydney and recently having released three new singles, Kayps proves he’s a name to remember. – Emma Newbury

Q: Your new single hush. explores themes of relationships and boundaries. How does this track reflect your growth as an artist?

A: I feel like hush. helped me grow not only as an artist but as a person as well, coming from what was predominantly a pretty heavy rap background, there was never really a chance for me to show any sort of vulnerability through what I can create until I was able to write tracks like Cut Me Up and hush. so it definitely helped me understand that it’s okay as a young male to express emotion and showcase vulnerability in a creative way.

Q: You and Calvin Bennett have worked together on several hits. How did the two of you meet? What makes this collaboration so special?

A: I love telling this story. Calvin and I went to the same school, he was a couple years older, and I had moved to that school to join the music program they had. I quickly realised that the part of music I really had a passion and interest in was production and songwriting, so I got the right software on my school laptop and had heard around the school that Calvin was working doing production for artists as well as performing pretty regularly in the live rotation around Perth. He quickly became the person I went to ask for help when it came to production, and as the years went on, we finally got in the studio together and for me, it’s an absolute blessing having Calvin to work with and our collaboration process is one that I feel like is super rare to come by, considering how easy I feel it is. I see him as like an older brother/mentor and there has been so much I’ve learned from him, so I’m forever grateful for him not only as a producer but as a friend.

Q: Buon Giorno was a really popular track this year, and introduced a house-rap genre. Is this a direction you’re planning to explore further?

A: Absolutely! Buon Giorno was one of those tracks we just smashed out in what was probably about 40 minutes. Neither me or Calvin had made anything like that before and the day we had made it, we both were struggling to grasp what we were trying to achieve in that session so we just said, look let’s just make something super random, whatever comes to mind just lay it down and whatever comes of it is how we leave it… and from that became what we both agree is our favourite song we’ve made, and it is definitely a sound you’ll hear more of from me.

Q: Growing up in a remote community like Wantkatjungka has clearly influenced your music. Can you share more about how your heritage shapes your sound and storytelling?

A: Understanding how important songlines and story telling is within our culture from suchan early age I feel is where the interest in music started. There was never a day that went past without hearing music whether that was in language from one of the uncles or aunties, or my dad just sitting out the front of the house playing guitar, so I feel like growing up in that environment definitely fueled the desire to pursue music since an early age.

Q: You’ve won accolades such as the Robert Juniper Award for the Arts and the triple j Unearthed High Indigenous Initiative award. How do you see these achievements impacting First Nations Youth?

A: My goal has always been to be the leading example for First Nations youth within the music scene. Growing up, the only First Nations role models that I saw were AFL players or rugby players, rarely did I ever see a positive role model in the creative industries, so being put in positions to have the privilege of winning such incredible accolades this early into my career, inspires me to push my image further, so that more first nations kids see me as an example to try new things that might’ve seemed nearly impossible to do as a black kid.

Q: Are there any First Nations artists that you’ve been pumping on the stereo lately?

A: There are too many to name. 3% are a current favourite, Becca Hatch’s new project has been in pretty heavy rotation… Kobie Dee, Barkaa, Izzar, Zero, Say True God, there’s more I could say but those are the main ones I’ve been bumping.

Q: Collaborating with names like Mali Jo$e and Wesley Black is a big deal. What have collabs like these taught you, and how have they influenced your style?

A: When I was younger, I got the opportunity to write a few feature verses for Mali, although none of those songs ever saw the light of day, seeing some of the earlier stages of what his records sounded like helped me understand the process more.

Working with Wesley is always such a fun experience, the energy we both have when we collaborate is always super high and it’s taught me to still have fun and love what I’m making without getting too in my own head about the technical aspect of things, and really helped me understand that if it feels right then you’re on the right track, no matter what genre or style.

Q: Tracks like Cut Me Up and hush. tackle personal themes. How do you decide which parts of your life to bring into your music?

A: I think it’s a case by case thing. There will never not be a time where I’m not writing music about what’s going on in my life whether that’s about a feeling or a situation, it’s my version of therapy. Deciding on whether to show those parts of my life through releasing them used to be a really tricky decision, as I was saying before it was really hard for me to show my vulnerability, in a hip hop/rap space it’s hard to do. There was a moment where I was sitting next to a friend in class at school and I asked for her opinion on a very personal song, by the end of the two minutes she was bawling her eyes out just from the emotion, and seeing the effect a song can have when I can be vulnerable and how it can connect with other people, gave me the confidence to be able to share that part of myself more.

Q: You recently teased to Facebook a snippet of a more indie-sounding song you’ve been working on. Can we get some intel on if this is getting a release?

A: Ooooooh, little exclusive… this track is called Up To Something, it is my next single with Calvin Bennett, and funnily enough with you mentioning him, Wesley Black as the feature. This track is coming very very very soon with a final video to tie off the trilogy we’ve worked on.

Q: At only 18, you've already earned accolades like the triple j Indigenous Initiative and played at SXSW. What has been your most memorable milestone so far?

A: Jeez that’s tricky, they’ve all been amazing. I’m so beyond grateful for all the opportunities I’ve been lucky enough to have so far but if I really had to pick one… Playing at SXSW was super cool, meeting so many new people within the same creative space from all different places was really exciting and honestly felt so comfortable in that environment so if I had to pick one it would be that.

Q: What more can fans expect from Kayps in 2025?

A: More music than what I released in 2024, more live shows and hopefully start working on a new project! After experimenting behind the scenes a bit in 2024, I’m really excited for what we have in store for everyone this year!