Our chats with Victorian musicians, emerging and established! Hear from groundbreaking hip-hop, R&B artist Miss Kaninna, folk-grunge four-piece Daisypicker, dream-pop alt-rockers sleepazoid, hypnotic genre-diverse artist Tameem and teen heavy act Dead End.

Words Gabrielle Duykers

Miss KaninNa

What to expect: Fierce hip-hop and R&B from proud Yorta Yorta, Yirendali and Kalkadoon woman, Miss Kaninna.

Why did you first start making music?

I couldn't look at the future me and see anything other than this, I've done it since I was a kid. I don't really get much of a say when it comes to my future as an Aboriginal woman in so-called Australia, but with music I do. I enjoy the way the music makes me feel and how it impacts others. I wanted to use it as a way to speak about my experiences.

Your songs carry a certain fearlessness. Did that confidence always come naturally, or was it something you grew into?

Nah, my mum's like that, my nan's like that, my aunties are like that – you got to be. Otherwise people will walk all over you and think they can treat you a certain type of way. I learnt that because the women in my family were constantly belittled and undermined. So when they talk, it's intentional and they say it with their chests.

Do you remember the first time performing felt powerful?

I performed a lot when I was a kid at my community's summer festivals, and back then it was only Blackfullas, extended family and some allies. The mob from up north would come down in the community bus for the day too. It was just so powerful all of us coming together, watching the local Blackfulla bands and the kids get up and sing about our community.

Your music reflects personal and cultural experiences, delivered with sharp lyrics and infectious energy. Where do your songs usually start?

I just write depending on how I'm feeling and what I'm going through at the time. The Black experience is inherently political, but I also struggle with other elements of my life, and they’re all interconnected.

What kind of space do you want your shows to create for young gig-goers?

A place people can go to feel seen and where they feel as though they can be themselves. Live music is so important for the survival of culture and freedom of speech! I hope young people come and feel like they're not being lied to or pacified.

Things have been moving fast for you! Has there been a recent “pinch me” moment?

Every day that I get to do this as my job is a “pinch me” moment, but definitely when I walked out to the crowd in Glasgow for the KNEECAP tour last year. By far the craziest thing I've ever been a part of.

What artist should more people have on their radar?

Waari. He is the future of music.

Daisypicker

What to expect: Fuzzy guitars, warbled strings and cascading melodies from Nadia (24), Jezabel (24), Ezra (23) and Caleb (24).

Introduce yourselves! What does Daisypicker sound like?

Jezabel: We’re a folk-grunge band based in Naarm/Melbourne, originally from regional Victoria. We settled on that descriptor for our music as we try to blend the emotional depth of folk with raw, gritty experimentation. I like to think there’s something for everyone within our songs, from a soft, fleeting feeling to an aching punch in the guts!

Daisypicker grew from Nadia’s songwriting. How did those solo ideas change shape in the bandroom?

Nadia: Our debut album Mess Around covers some really interesting territory; we developed our arrangement process throughout these songs, so the more recent songs do sound more collaborative. I don’t want to reveal all our secrets, but I think that in playing together for three years we have learnt to trust each other and be more creatively open. We pretty naturally sync up when playing now, whether that is finding an unspoken flow or anticipating each other’s next move.

Your music shifts between soft, understated moments and rich emotional crescendos. What draws you to that contrast?

Caleb: The simplest answer is it feels great. Being as quiet as a mouse and then giving it a lion's mane and license to roar is very rewarding. You wouldn’t want to read a book or see a movie where the plot line is a bit snoozy or predictable, or a roller-coaster that’s only on land, right?

You described your sound as folk-grunge. How do those two energies come together in your music?

Caleb: Each of us enjoy soft sounds as much as hard sounds, and simply letting the music go down one road feels like you’re missing out on the party of the other. So we aim to drive on the superhighway of both styles. In saying that, we like to give ourselves as many off-ramps as possible, so we don’t go stir crazy.

How does being friends outside the band affect the way you write and perform?

Ezra: It becomes difficult to decipher whether or not they are paying me out constructively or for realsies. Depending on the ruling, my addition to the music becomes either my revenge… or the sonic manifestation of my gratitude, love, and good graces. I know they know the difference. That’s what makes it so special.

What’s something you love about Naarm’s music scene?

Caleb: The quality and variety of music here is incredible. You can see a rock band, a funk group, a solo cellist and a noise artist within two kilometres of each other in the same night. And plenty of healthy competition to push everyone to find their true sound. The level of collaboration here is special too, everyone is wanting to get in each other’s ears and work on things together.

Which Naarm-based artist should more people have on their radar right now?

Nadia: We are all big fans of live music, and the one artist that continues to steal our hearts every single time is Lucy Harrington. She is 100% the next Julia Jacklin and she hasn’t officially released any music so seeing her live is magic!

sleepazoid

What to expect: Dream-pop melodies, distorted guitars, and experimental noise, played by Nette (30), Josef (29), Luca (28), George and Jim (33).

Introduce yourselves! How would you describe the world of sleepazoid?

Nette: We’re a five-piece from Naarm/Melbourne. I usually just say alt-rock guitar music: a bit of shoegaze, post-punk, pop melodies, screeching guitars. We each have quite different influences and personalities, so sonically and conceptually sleepazoid feels like the intersection of a five-way Venn diagram.

How did the project begin?

Josef: I met Luca through a mutual friend and soon found out he was a drummer. Nette and I had played in a band together during our early 20s and were thinking about starting up a new project. We lined up a jam at Luca and George’s studio, Perfect Squeak (R.I.P.). George and Luca had played in bands together for years, as had Luca and Jim, and we all came together in December 2023. It was such a fun summer getting to know each other, bonding over music and becoming friends.

When you’re writing, are you usually thinking more about structure or building a mood?

Nette: Both have to be answered during the writing process, but the considerations come at different times depending on the song. Sometimes the atmosphere comes first - ‘3AM’ was an example of that. Everything was built from and around the verse soundscape; chorus, bridge, lyrics and narrative. On the other hand, ‘FIG TREE’ was mostly structurally complete when I brought it to the group. The whole song uses the same chords, but it’s the dynamics and atmosphere that shaped it into feeling complete.

Yoursongs often set heavy walls of sound against raw lyrics. Has vulnerability always been part of the music?

Nette: It’s definitely something we have grown into. While writing our first EP running with the dogs, I remember this idea of “finding our sound” being a kind of north star, which in hindsight is always evolving. But we were so focused on sounds and tones, the songs themselves are pretty abstract. Fast forward some time, and the songs on our second EP NEW AGE, are much more personal and fairly direct in the themes and emotions explored. That openness and trust in each other’s creativity was built over time, and I think contributed a lot to the change in sound.

What’s the most unexpected influence that’s crept into a song of yours?

Jim: We all listen to a broad range of music so nothing’s been unexpected in terms of influences. But as we’ve written more songs I can hear more of the ‘not guitar’ music come through. I can’t wait to hear how we progress sonically as a band.

If sleepazoid were a place you could step into, how might it look or feel?

Nette: I think it would be a city. Loud, messy, tender. Probably night-time or dusk. It would feel familiar but also different. Kind of like that weird sensation when you experience a new feeling in a deeply familiar place.

Naarm/Melbourne has a vibrant alt and experimental scene. How has being part of that community shaped you as artists?

Luca: It sure does! Having such a breadth of style and sound in your local scene really does allow you to see things from different perspectives musically. Being surrounded by so much of this type of thing I think definitely lends to being more creative and boundary-pushing as artists. You just need to know where to look.

What’s one local artist more people should have on their radar right now?

Josef: We just finished touring with Beryl, they’re sooo good! They just put out their new album Body Break and you should go listen to it right now.

Nette: Yes! Shout out Beryl – their songs are so interesting and moving. Local the Neighbour is another local act who just writes bloody catchy, moving, interesting songs.

Tameem

What to expect: Silky soul tones and hypnotic grooves, carved by Tameem (20).

Introduce yourself! Who are you and what do you make?

I’m a producer, saxophonist, flautist, and singer from the Dandenong Ranges, currently based in Naarm. I make pretty much whatever music I feel like making. I’m also a university student, studying Global Studies and Japanese.

How did you get into producing?

I first started producing back in 2021, during lockdown. At the time, I was looking for more musical outlets and producing felt like a natural progression from instrumental performance. However, I didn’t really invest much of myself into producing until 2024 when I joined Radio Monash and had access to their recording studio, which I now help manage. It was there that I really fell in love with producing. It has allowed me to express myself in ways I didn’t know I could.

Your sound mixes trip-hop, jazz, soul and R&B with ambient and electronic elements. How did that blend come together?

Honestly, it kind of just gave birth to itself. When I began work on my first project, I didn’t really have any intentions with my sound. I just wanted to find a way to blend all the music I have loved throughout my life and create a culmination of my taste for my debut.

You released your debut album STATIC EMOTION late last year. What were you exploring on that record?

STATIC EMOTION explores love, nostalgia, ego, manic, and spirit. Each song is a ‘static emotion’, simmering and soaking in itself. I wanted to provide what is essentially a summary of how I have been feeling over the past four years. It features heaps of super talented artists, both local and international, who were crucial to me achieving the vision I put forth.

How does your music change when you’re playing live?

It definitely becomes far more drawn out with live looping and layering expanding each song to become a complete story. There’s definitely a more acoustic and personal feel in my live sets that adds a whole new layer to the energy of my music.

If someone is new to your music, which track should they hear first?

I would definitely say ‘water bird - album version’ featuring Olivia C. Dacal, and ‘hit your head on a rock in the creek’ featuring HAZ. They’re the two tracks I’m most proud of and invested a huge amount of time in. The feature artists on these are also amazingly talented, and I’m so grateful to have worked with them.

Who’s a Naarm-based artist more people should know about?

Vicefield – his music expands across numerous genres, from laid-back R&B to hard techno. He really never misses. He’s such a talented producer, and we have been friends and collaborators for over six years, and neither of us could have gotten where we’re at artistically without each other. We have spent a number of sleepless nights plotting, scheming, and creating. We’re finally getting to a place where we feel our music is ready for the masses. Watch this space…or something like that.

Dead End

What to expect: Pummelling drums, howled vocals and thrashing guitars via Jenson, Cooper, Josh and Joel (17).

Introduce yourselves! How did the band get together?

Dead End is Cooper on vocals, Josh on lead guitar, Joel on rhythm guitar and myself, Jenson, on drums. We currently don’t have a full-time bassist. We all came together through being the only young people we knew regularly going to shows [who wanted] to get involved in the scene and start playing.

You’re all still in high school. How do you balance school with rehearsals and gigs?

We try to make sure our weekends are free from studying and homework to allow time to see each other and get a couple of jams in before upcoming gigs.

What first drew you to hardcore?

We’ve always loved loud and noisy music. The atmosphere and intensity of those shows are insane and is what got us into hardcore in the first place.

What was your debut gig like?

Our debut gig was very nerve-wracking for me. I was really nervous and overthinking everything. I remember getting a good wrap from the crowd despite messing every song up!

The hardcore scene in Naarm/Melbourne is known for its strong sense of community. What’s something you love about it?

One thing we love about the Naarm scene is the all-ages gigs, and how many more kids our age have been coming and regularly showing up since we started going to shows.

Do you have a favourite local venue to play or see bands?

Has to be Boronia Scouts Hall. It always sounds amazing and it never feels cramped. We’ve never ever seen a bad lineup or crowd there.

What does your dream gig look like?

The dream Dead End show would be touring America with big US hardcore bands and getting on some big festivals.

If you had to put us onto one local band, who would it be?

Secluded for sure. Super heavy punch-you-in-the-face band and a set that’s not safe for anyone when we’re there!

Locals Only #1 - Victoria

Miss KaninNa

Daisypicker

sleepazoid

Tameem

Dead End

So You Want To Work In Music?

Locals Only #1 - Australian Capital Territory