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The best new artists at Yours & Owls Festival

Yours & Owls – you've done it again!

If you haven’t checked out the 2019 Yours & Owls festival line-up, you are surely missing out. With headliners including Amy Shark, Courtney Barnett, and Golden Features, you’re going to want to make your way to Wollongong this October.

But true to form, Yours & Owls is definitely not a top-heavy festival. Brimming with talent on the verge of exploding, there is plenty of new music goodness to discover across the Yours & Owls weekend. There’s a lot to dive into, so we’re picking our absolute favourites.

Get to know these incredible up and comers before they explode.

Ticketmaster Artists to Watch 2019

At the beginning of the year, our teams in Australia and New Zealand each handpicked ten artists we thought you should keep your eyes and ears on throughout 2019, and we are pretty stoked to see a stack of them featured on the Yours & Owls 2019 lineup.

A.Swazye & The Ghosts
Hobart raucous punk-garage outfit A Swayze. & The Ghosts really peaked out attention with their incredible single ‘Suddenly’. Capturing the urgency and energy of their much-acclaimed live show injected with an ’80s-tinge, we knew we had to keep our eyes and ears firmly locked here. While we patiently await the next musical instalment (the band did promise us a debut album when we chatted to them earlier this year), they’ve been tearing up stages across the UK, and have got a bunch of home soil shows locked in, including, what is sure to be, a huge set at Yours & Owls.

A. Swayze & The Ghosts - Suddenly (Official Video)

The Beths
Our friends from across the Pacific, New Zealand band The Beths combine bright pop hooks, pop-punk grit, and indie-rock charm in the most delightfully, catchy way. Though, more than any genre-based descriptions, what makes The Beths – and the debut album that won our hearts Future Me Hates Me – so great is their lyrics; honest and relatable, reflective and vivid, and finding the perfect balance between self-deprecation and personal reflection. They’ll be heading our way quite a bit in the second half of the year, but not before storming through the States. A subtly retro influence combined with a huge ’90s rock sound – take a listen.

The Beths - "Future Me Hates Me" (official music video)

Bugs
Mix two parts infectiously happy pop hooks, add in a sprinkling of catchy punk melodies, and throw in some honest tales of Australiana suburbia and what you get is Brisbane trio Bugs. They’ve been winning hearts around the country with their ever-growing catalogue of tunes (including ours, we’re huge fans!), but it’s in the last 12 months that they’ve been kicking the biggest goals. Expect huge singalongs and a much-needed injection of joy when Bugs take to the Yours and Owls stage.

Bugs - Instant Coffee (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Eves Karydas
She’s currently supporting Jack River on her Sugar Mountain Ball tour, and we’re certain Brisbane indie-pop artist Eves Karydas is a name you want to slot into your Yours & Owls schedule. Following her own headline tour back in February, Karydas recently announced her breakout hit ‘Further Than The Planes Fly’ was certified gold. From TV performances to noteworthy support slots and festival performances, it’s been a huge year for Karydas.

Eves Karydas - Further Than The Planes Fly (Visualiser) (Official Audio)


Genesis Owusu
Ghana-born, Canberra-based rapper Genesis Owusu has been stunning fans around the country with his infectious grooves and poetic, honest songwriting. His music is a perfect fusion of R&B grooves, hip hop flow, and smooth jazz-infused jams. From selling out headline shows around Australia to supporting Ruel on his tour (including a sold-out show at the Sydney Opera House), you need to experience Genesis Owusu live.

Genesis Owusu - WUTD (Official Video)

Kwame
Western-Sydney rapper Kwame has been the talk of the town (and by town we mean the entire country) thanks to his unique brand of genre-bending hip hop and absolutely infectious stage presence. A sold-out headline tour kicked off the year, and huge festival slots including Splendour in the Grass, Spin Off, and Yours & Owls are still to come. Give his sophomore EP Endless Conversations a spin to see exactly what we are talking about.

thatboykwame - CLOUDS. (Official Audio)

But there’s more

These aren’t the only acts you should get acquainted with before Yours & Owls. Take a peek at these goodies.

Eliza & The Delusionals
Across the last few years, Gold Coast band Eliza & the Delusionals have really been making a case for why they deserve your attention. Their bright, bubbly take on pop-rock has seen them supporting the likes of Killing Heidi, Joyce Manor, and Luca Brasi – to name a few – and their newest single ‘Just Exist’ promises even bigger and better things are on the horizon.

Eliza & The Delusionals – Just Exist (Official Audio)

Georgia June
Since forming a couple of years ago, Sydney’s Georgia June have been taking Australian stages by storm with their infectious guitar-pop sound. A relentless rhythm section and full-force guitars effortlessly blend with bright melodies to create a stack of tunes that you can’t help but dance along too. There’s a lot more to come from Georgia June and we can’t wait for it.

Georgia June | Prove Myself (Official Music Video)

Kira Puru
We’re pretty certain that Kira Puru doesn’t know how to make a bad pop song. From the absolute tunes that make up last year’s self-titled EP to her latest gem, ‘Everything Is Better Without You’, get ready to be hit full force by slick pop grooves, intelligently catchy hooks, and an artist that demands attention. Puru is preparing to take on her biggest headlining dates yet, so we’re certain she’ll be in fine form come Yours & Owls time.

Everything Is Better Without You

Waax
Led by the exceptional Maria DeVita, Waax are an absolute force to be reckoned with. Following a 2018 that included a sold-out national headlining tour alongside support slots for Fall Out Boy and Biffy Clyro, the Brisbane four-piece haven’t slowed down for a second in 2019 – dropping two huge singles and preparing to unleash their debut album. Before they land at Yours & Owls, Waax are set to take their chaos to the United States and we can’t wait to hear what stories they bring back.

WAAX - I Am (Audio)

West Thebarton
Seven-piece West Thebarton are the best thing currently coming out of Adelaide and we cannot get enough. We are of the strong belief that four is exactly the right amount of guitarists, and team that with a heavy-hitting rhythm section and electric frontman Rev Ray and you really do have a recipe for non-stop fun. They’ve just released a new single and kicked off a national headline tour, but we can’t wait to see them at Yours and Owls.

West Thebarton - Tops [Official Music Video]

Yours & Owls Festival takes over Stuart Park in North Wollongong on Saturday 5 October and Sunday 6 October. Tickets are on sale now via our mates at Moshtix.