King Stingray Make Their Debut On Seattle's KEXP

Arnhem Land Yolŋu surf rockers King Stingray have finally made their debut on KEXP, broadening their impact in the US.

KEXP-FM is a non-commercial radio station in Seattle, Washington, United States. Both its everyday programming and live sets specialise in indie music from across the globe.

KEXP has a reputation for airing high-quality bands and breaking acts well ahead of time – it was the first radio station to spin Nirvana and Soundgarden in the late ‘80s, well before their breakthroughs in the early ‘90s.

Since 2007, KEXP has maintained an active YouTube channel that has achieved a wider global reach than its typical radio programming. The YouTube channel has over 3.7 million subscribers, and, according to The Seattle Times, 75% of the channel’s views come from outside the United States.

Highest-viewed videos posted by KEXP include sets from Bomba Estéreo, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Florence + The Machine, The Lumineers, Aurora, and many others. Aussie acts such as King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Glass Beams, Tropical Fuck Storm, Amyl And The Sniffers, Babe Rainbow, and Julia Jacklin are just some of the performers who have graced the Seattle studio.

So, King Stingray landing a KEXP set is huge. And they made the most of the opportunity, performing Best Bits and Lookin’ Out from their latest album, For The Dreams, and Hey Wanhaka and Milkumana from their self-titled 2022 debut album. With guitars, drums, energetic vocals, and yidaki, it’s an exceptional performance.

You can check it out below.

Earlier this year, King Stingray embarked on their For The Dreams tour across Australia, in which they were joined by special guests Beddy Rays and The Belair Lip Bombs. They performed at impressive venues such as the Fortitude Music Hall, Melbourne’s Forum, Hindley Street Music Hall, the Hordern Pavilion, and Fremantle Arts Centre.

In other King Stingray news, For The Dreams has been nominated for this year’s QLD Album of the Year. They’re in excellent company alongside Full Flower Moon Band, Sycco, Mallrat, and Velociraptor. You can find out how to vote here.