Whilst this noisy queer pop punk duo are technically from the good ol ‘Gong, there was no chance Cry Club could be kept off this list. Vocalist Heather Riley’s soaring notes and punchy lyricism, particularly in their latest single DFTM (which stands for ‘don’t f*cking touch me’), will have you head thrashing, full body boogie-ing and maybe even shedding a joyful tear or two. Photo: Cath Connell

The phrase ‘force to be reckoned with’ falls short when describing Western Sydney artist Kymie – this girl is a total powerhouse. Her breakthrough track NEEDS is a bitey ode to self love that exudes elements of both traditional RnB and modern trap. With her track record, 2019 is undoubtedly the year that Kymie skyrockets to cement her rightful place among the big names in Aussie RnB. Photo: The Uncast 

Ella Haber is the musical equivalent of a lazy Sunday afternoon. Her timeless vocals glide above soulful production, with every syllable packing a passionate punch. Outside the studio, Haber creates spaces for her fellow female and non-binary artists, with her first sold-out showcase ‘we did a thing’ taking place in late 2018. Put on her debut single Old Friends and feel the world melt away. Photo: Dani Meyerowitz

If you were at an American high school’s prom circa 1950s, Okin Osan would be the kick-ass front woman getting everyone to dance with her sunny surf rock melodies. Osan’s hazy guitar and bubbly lyrics, heavily present in her latest release I Wanna Be That Girl, will have you daydreaming about your most joyfully awkward teenage memories in the best way possible. Photo: Rainbow Chan

With a dark blend of synth and guitar, Lola Scott’s alt-pop may draw comparisons to Maggie Rogers or Broods, but there’s no denying Scott is very much her own person. One of Sydney’s best kept secrets, Lola Scott’s single Warzone Of The Suburbs reveals Scott as a triple threat – visceral songwriting, captivating vocals and production chops to rival the country’s best. Photo: Luke Mclean Stephenson

Good Pash became renowned as one of Sydney’s most exhilarating live acts before they even released a single – that’s gotta be a good sign! Born out of a desire to dust off their secondary instruments, Good Pash’s indie-punk injects raucous, energetic fun into every lineup they grace. If debut single Not My Problem is a sign of things to come, 2019 better prepare for the power of Good Pash. Photo: Trudi Gultom

PRINCI’s brand of dark pop immediately demands your attention, we felt it with her Atro produced banger FYI which dropped last year. Combine tight production and velvety vocals dripping with lyrics like “Not getting any D I’m chasing salary”, and you’ve got an artist who gets in your face, gets you up on your feet and down on the dancefloor. Photo: Kristina Yenko

With her signature retro-pop sound and a dynamic voice that ebbs and flows between powerful vocals and delicate whispers, Iluka is changing the pop landscape one release at a time. Her lyrics in tracks like Blue Jean Baby, are scrapbook-esque – memories of road trips, coffee shops and free-spirited adventures carefully cut and pasted together over sweet soulful production. Photo: Maggie Mae

Western-Sydney based artist Nardean not only stands out from the pack, but ascends above it. The Egyptian-Australian musician, poet and rapper knows what she wants to say and says it with an incomparable effortlessness. Across her EP ‘Creatress’, Nardean embraces her feminine force, a deep love for hip hop and RnB and an appreciation of language to craft songs that are good for the soul. Photo: Joyce Ong

Sometimes you listen to a song, and whilst you know that you’ve never heard it before, it somehow enraptures the same blissful nostalgia that a long-time classic would. That’s exactly the power that Harley Mavis possesses within her songwriting. Citing Missy Higgins as a prominent influence, Mavis (especially within her most recent release Magnolia) creates an atmosphere of golden folk-rock that’s difficult not to fall in love with. Photo: Maya Luana