Voting Now Open For The Music's 2023 Underground Hidden Gems

Voting now open here!

If you haven’t noticed, we've been working with our music-loving mates at Mountain Goat this year to spotlight the best up-and-coming artists through our Underground Playlists. Each week, we’ve been scouring the scene, searching for the cream of the crop and highlighting five of the best Underground releases. Now, it’s time to step the celebrations up a notch…

We’re excited to announce our new competition: The Music’s Underground Hidden Gems, designed to shine a light on some of the amazing artists becoming stars in your own backyard.

We’ve picked out ten incredible acts who have been turning heads across the underground scene and putting Australia on the map for up-and-coming artists. The competition will kick off today and shut up shop at 12pm AEDT April 6, with the winner being announced on April 17.

These ten artists will compete for your vote for their chance in winning $10,000 to put towards their music dreams, to join a league of music legends in being featured as The Music’s Cover Artist, and to create their own custom beer can design, thanks to the legends at Mountain Goat.

So without further ado, here are our 2023 nominees for The Music’s Underground Hidden Gems.

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Bones and Jones

Folk rockers Bones and Jones have been square in the spotlight lately with their distinctive songwriting and wild live shows. From showcasing at BIGSOUND to sharing a stage with the likes of Twin Peaks, The Nude Party, The Murlocs and King Stingray, these boys are set to go far.

BUGS

Longtime pop-rock fanatics BUGS have been peppering their brand of heartfelt, honest and relatable music around the Brisbane scene and beyond since 2015, but it was their 2019 single Seriously that had fans and industry taking notice. With an appearance at Falls Festival in Marion Bay and Seriously landing at #194 in triple j’s coveted Hottest 200 list in 2020, BUGS since released their latest album Cooties to an anticipated reception of open arms from fans new and old alike.

DICE

Surf rock legends DICE have been growing quite the following over in WA, but now they’re working on cracking the rest of Australia, and their efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. Since the release of their 2022 E.P Adolescent Arcade, the boys have been going from strength to strength and carving themselves a new place in the industry.

Dulcie

Dulcie are a three-piece band from beautiful WA that have been gifting us dreamy-pop hit after dreamy-pop hit. Releasing their first single, Fall, in 2019, the band then went on to release their beloved Sake of Sound E.P in 2021. Now, with fresh infectious tunes under their belt, Dulcie are forging ahead with a bigger and better sound that will be sure to grow their already major following.

Full Flower Moon Band

Queensland rock act Full Flower Moon Band have been kicking around for a while, but their 2022 release, Diesel Forever, was their ticket to stardom. After its release, the band were quickly snatched up, filling support slots of Big Theif and garnering a campaign with eco-clothing company Thrills. Their sound is as much rock as it is grit, with lead singer Babyshakes Dillon setting the tone for the band and oozing cool no matter where they play.

Hope D

Indie-rock dynamite Hope D released her first single, Swim, to critical acclaim earning her some major awards and big slots on festivals like Splendour In The Grass and Laneway. Set to rock the stage wherever she is with her powerful, raw songwriting and unique, genre-bending soundscapes. Her latest release takes us through the trials and tribulations of being a young adult in the 21st century.

Kira Puru

Kira Puru is the queen of RnB/pop in Australia and brings the attitude to back it up. From her self-titled E.P in 2021 to her newest single, Talk With Me, Puru consistently brings the groovy, bass-heavy vibes that put you in a trance on the dance floor. A seasoned performer, Puru, seizes any opportunity for expression across all platforms as a multi-disciplinary artist, allowing her involvement at every step of the way.

South Summit

Another class act from WA, South Summit have been on everyone’s radar for the last few years as one to watch due to their ingenious blend of rock, pop and reggae. Even though the band was only formed in the lockdown of 2020, the boys have spent the last 12 months plying their trade across the country with three back-to-back national tours and many sold-out shows already to their name.

The Lazy Eyes

The Lazy Eyes introduced themselves with their first E.P as members of psych rock’s new vanguard. A few shows later and a string of singles and E.P’s, they’ve flourished into their own sound, building a cult following and delivering magnetic performances that will always leave you wanting more.

The Velvet Club

The Velvet Club debuted in 2018 with a gig in AJ’s parent's backyard and they haven’t looked back, blossoming as friends and as a band. Since then, the five-piece has gone on to play at a bunch of different festivals and release a string of singles that saw them gain their passionate growing fanbase.