Bigsound 2025 Announces Second Round of Speakers
The new speakers include Briggs, Tash Sultana, Mallrat and Blur drummer Dave Rowntree.
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The second round of conference speakers appearing at this year’s BIGSOUND 2025 have been revealed.
Held in venues across Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley from September 2–5, the new additions consist of artists and industry heavyweights, including Yorta Yorta rapper, songwriter, author, actor and founder of Bad Apples Music, Briggs, in conversation with Gomeroi musician, rapper and actor, Kobie Dee.
Also speaking are Tash Sultana, who has just released her new EP Return to the Roots, Brisbane’s own chart topper Mallrat, emerging musician Elly-May Barnes and Blur drummer Dave Rowntree, whose appearance coincides with the release of his new photography book, No One You Know.
Music industry experts taking to the stage for chinwag include Cynthia Flores (Asecendente / MUSICMEX) and Malfi Dorantes (MalfiCo / MUSICMEX) disucssing Mexican music’s impact on the global scene, General Manager of Virgin Music Group, North America Cindy James, Director of International Relations and Development at the Country Music Association (CMA) Meredith Goucher and Artist Manager at Neon Coast Nikki Boon.
You can check out the full list of speakers and grab your tickets to this year’s BIGSOUND 2025 here.
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“BIGSOUND is about taking stock of where we are and imagining where we want to go next,” said QMusic and BIGSOUND CEO Kris Stewart. “At a time of rapid transformation in the music sector - across tech, touring, sustainability, and artist income - we want to amplify the value of meaningful connection. Between creators and audiences, between industry peers, and artists and the people who can take their careers to the next level. Whether it’s onstage or over coffee, BIGSOUND is where new ideas and partnerships begin.”
Cathy Oates and Niriko McLure, new members of the BIGSOUND 2025 team and Conference Programmers, are excited for what this year’s event has up its sleeve.
“We don’t need to tell you that the Australian music industry landscape has shifted and over the last five years, consumer habits have changed forever,” Cathy stated. “The gatekeepers of music may not be as influential, and the old strategies no longer have the same impact on fan building and careers. But on the upside, there are less barriers to entry than ever before, and Australian talent continues to cut through in the new landscape.”
Co-Programmer Niriko added, “The 2025 BIGSOUND Conference will have two focus areas, to provide as many export opportunities as possible to the showcasing artists and the industry as a whole, and to acknowledge the unique challenges that Australian artists are facing. We want to platform those doing things differently, inviting new voices and perspectives to tell their stories. It’s about what’s working now, and what’s next.”
Early bird all-access Delegate Passes are on sale now via bigsound.org.au.
BIGSOUND is held at Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley precinct and runs from Tuesday, September 3 to Friday, September 6. Tickets are on sale now via BIGSOUND.
BIGSOUND 2025 Speakers & Buyers Lineup
Second Announcement
Adam Lewis - Planetary Group (USA)
Brian Zabinski - Tamizdat (USA)
Briggs - Artist (AUS)
Chris Brearley - Greyline Touring (UK)
Cindy James - Virgin Music North America (USA)
Cynthia Flores - Hypnosis Festival / Indie Rocks / Ascendente Agencia (MEX)
Dave Rowntree - Artist (UK)
Dev Sherlock - SXSW (USA)
Drew Bennett - Q Prime Artist Management (US/AUS)
Elly May Barnes - Artist (AUS)
Hallie Anderson - RAREFORM (USA)
Jess Page - RAREFORM (USA)
Jonathan Heeter - Black Pine Agency (USA / CHINA)
Josh Pyke - Artist / PPCA (AUS)
Kobie Dee - Artist (AUS)
Malfi Dorantes - MalfiCo/MUSICMEX (MEX)
Mallrat - Artist (AUS)
Meredith Goucher - Country Music Association (CMA) (USA)
Missy Schienberg - Scheiny Management (USA)
Nikki Boon - Neon Coast (USA)
Ollie Hodge - Some Action (UK)
Robin Werner - Reeperbahn (GER)
Skully Kaplin - ATC (UK)
Tash Sultana - Artist (AUS)
ALREADY ANNOUNCED
Adam Ryan - The Great Escape (UK)
Anne Booty - SixtyFour Music (UK)
Ariana Morgenstern – KCRW (USA)
Boaz Saidman – Wasserman (USA)
Boyan Pinter – Believe (BGR)
Calhoun Rawlings – Creative Artists Agency (USA)
Camille Augarde – Third Man Records (UK)
Darcus Beese – Darco Artist Partnerships (UK)
Deb Grant – BBC Radio 6 (UK)
Eve Thomas – Communion ONE (UK)
Jana Recmanikova – Festival Republic (UK)
Josh Stern – Ground Control Touring (USA)
Lau Frías - Secretly Group (USA)
Lucy Pitkethly – Eat Your Own Ears (UK)
Mario Stresow – FKP Scorpio (GER)
Rachel Cragg – Nettwerk Music Group (CAN)
Rachel Lloyd – AEG Presents / Country to Country / C2C Festival (UK)
Sean Goulding – One Fiinix Live (UK)
