"It's never easy to pick just five acts, but we reckon this graduating class of high achievers includes the artists we'll be hearing, watching play and obsessing over next.”
triple j Unearthed High Class of 2023 (Supplied)
As the much-awaited finale of triple j's Unearthed High approaches, we’re already getting excited over this year's extraordinary batch of finalists.
According to the broadcaster, the competition has been fierce, with hundreds of uploads pouring in until the very last days, leaving them pleasantly surprised at the abundance of talent displayed by teen musos across the country.
These rising stars are about to blaze their own trails, just like past Unearthed High alums who are now smashing it on home turf and beyond (cc The Kid Laroi, Genesis Owusu, Gretta Ray, Hockey Dad, and so many others)
triple j Unearthed Music Director Dave Ruby Howe says: "As unpredictable as the music industry and life, in general, has been lately, we can always rely on our annual Unearthed High search to produce a stunning collection of artists making diverse and exciting sounds.”
“That's rung true again in 2023. It's never easy to pick just five acts, but we reckon this graduating class of high achievers includes the artists we'll be hearing, watching play and obsessing over next.”
So, without further adieu, please meet your triple j Unearthed's 2023 Unearthed High finalists below, and make sure you’re listening to triple j Breakfast with Bryce & Concetta W/C 14 August for when they reveal this year's Unearthed High winner and this year's Unearthed High Indigenous Initiative champ.
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Elianie - 'Out Of Luck' (Helena College Senior School - Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar, Perth, WA)
On the surface, Elianie's bubbly indie pop hits the ears so sweetly, but lyrically, this 15-year-old has been going through it! These undercover heartbreak bops have pushed Elianie to the upper ranks of Unearthed High 2023.
ixaras - 'sprouts' (Music Industry College - Meanjin, Brisbane, QLD)
Already a fixture of the Meanjin music scene with her Anti-Dismal events and distro project, this 16-year-old solo artist is our new DIY superstar. Electric and raw, Ixaras has the songs to back up the effortless style.
LEE - 'UP' (Australian Christian College - Darug Nation, Greater Western Sydney, NSW)
Put away the compass and coordinates because there's no question what direction LEE is headed after hearing his track 'UP'. The 15-year-old rapper's confidence and charisma is next level.
Lotte Gallagher - 'Adam' (Northcote High School - Naarm, Melbourne, VIC)
Lotte Gallagher is seizing a long-held dream of music that goes all the way back to writing songs about being overlooked for the family pet. There's that same angst to what Lotte's making today but with a powerfully uplifting rush to it too.
REDD - 'TELL ME Y.' (Templestowe College - Naarm, Melbourne, VIC)
A prolific uploader to Unearthed High, REDD's bedroom tracks capture that rare creative spark of an artist that has found themselves and their sound at the exact right moment.