Another affiliate of the Trackwork Label, Gamilaraay man and rapper Walkerboy first came into the public eye during Trackwork’s label showcase at the Sydney Opera House in April last year, and he hasn’t slowed down since. Appearances at Dark Mofo and FBi SMACS Fest have followed, as well as his (aptly named) debut single ‘On a Roll.’ Walkerboy’s flow is at once languid and hard hitting, reminiscent of 03 Greedo and Bloc Boy JB. Walkerboy is currently working on a record tapping into his many stylistic influences from Bone Thugs-n-Harmony to The Kid Laroi while reflecting on his struggles and time spent between rural NSW and Western Sydney. 

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At 19 years old, Vv Pete’s confidence and swagger is infectious. Everything from her press shots to her bars, “I don’t want a new mans imma blockiana,” paint a picture of a young rapper already comfortable in the spotlight. After hyping crowds at venues including Oxford Art Factory for FBi Radio’s SMACS Fest, supporting Dallas Woods on his national tour and taking over The Opera House for Street University Experience, the Mount Druitt based, Sundanese rapper/ singer made waves with her debut single ‘Bussit’ earlier this year. With her unique fusion of sharp rap hooks, heavy club beats and global dance music, VV is forging a genre-bending flavour of Australian rap that is hers alone.

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To listen to Sydney-based rapper Scan is to be invited into his wonderful creative world, where references to DJ Khaled sit right alongside lyrics around self introspection. Already a fixture in the underground Soundcloud scene with his reflective, inspiring and sometimes outlandish lyricism and captivating beat choices, Scan aims to make a difference and instil hope for the future in his listeners. He’s a prolific collaborator with artists such as Sus1er and Heartthrob, and his willingness to flow between genres means he can make any song sound uniquely his own. Scan is quickly establishing himself as a fan favourite and one to watch within the contemporary music scene.

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Like all great art-pop auteurs, romæo loves to link their brand of pop music with a larger concept – with every off kilter hook comes a deeper meaning, making for a very rewarding listen. Idiosyncratic lyrics and experimental production have launched romæo to the forefront of the Sydney scene. 2022’s ‘BEAUTY’ EP saw her write, produce and mix art-pop that explores the nuance of womanhood while weaving a variety of sounds and genres together. romæo is becoming known for her dramatic performance art live shows, having curated multi-disciplinary lineups with a dedication to the unusual, and we can’t wait to see where she goes next.  

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KAVI’s songs speed down a futuristic highway, where flashes of dancefloor electricity and glimmering pop stream through the windscreen. The KAVI project – dubbed KLUBKAVI –  is that of Sydney-based pop artist, DJ and model Karvesh Pillai. His music sees the grit of club dancefloors and the exhilaration of pop fuse together to celebrate the the ecstasy of self expression. KAVI’s debut EP ‘KRUSHED!’ arrived in July 2022, drawing comparisons to the sounds of hyperpop pioneers Shygirl, Charli XCX, Doss and Arca. Charting the trajectory of a crush, ‘KRUSHED!’ and its singles ‘REALITY TV’, ‘D-TRIPLE-U’ and ‘SPORTSCAR’ have garnered praise from PAPER Magazine, VICE, Rolling Stone and more. KAVI is blazing a trail for queer artists of colour – we can’t wait to see what they do next.

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Not many artists use both Shakespeare’s sonnets and Taylor Swift as influences for their music. But then again, Ashli isn’t your average artist. Raised in New Jersey and Western Sydney, Ashli makes R&B and pop with purpose, telling stories that can’t help but be relatable. At the time of writing, Ashli’s music is already on nine different official Spotify playlists – not bad for an artist who only has two singles to their name. She’s also been hailed a “powerhouse R&B enchantress” by Sniffers, and her debut single ‘Only One’ was praised by Acclaim, Purple Sneakers and Homegrown Sounds. With a complex harmonies, lush vocals, and uncompromising songwriting, we’re anticipating that there will be many more accolades to come.

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