Celebrating its 21st year, BIGSOUND returns to Brisbane this week with more than 180 artists performing over three nights at 21 venues in the city.
Some of the country's best emerging artists, including Tasman Keith, Budjerah, flowerkid, Hope D, Mia Wray, Teenage Joans and The Terrys, are part of the line-up set to run from September 6 to 9.
A BIGSOUND spokeswoman said more than 1,300 applications were received, prompting organisers to add 38 more acts than the last live event in 2019.
"Artists will play to hundreds of labels, publishers, agents, festival programmers, publicists and industry delegates all on the lookout for the next big thing," she said.
Brisbane locals Hallie, Jem Cassar-Daley, Concrete Surfers and VOIID also feature on the bill.
New program addition BIGSOUND Country will showcase The Buckleys, Darlinghurst, Andrew Swift, Hinterland, Loren Ryan, Melanie Dyer, Taylor Moss and The Wolfe Brothers, while its international component welcomes New Zealand artists JessB, Soaked Oats, Troy Kingi, TE KAAHU, Church & AP, MELODOWNZ and Jenny Mitchell.
"Wow, what a ride! After spending a month reading and listening to a record number of applications, we are certain that the future of music is in safe hands," festival programmers Ruby-Jean McCabe and Dominic Miller said.
"BIGSOUND Showcase programming is a dream job so we would never complain, but it's hard to put into words what a difficult time we had getting to this final line-up.
"The applications this year were of an extremely high calibre, and we could have easily programmed another 180-plus artists if we had the space.
"We can't wait for these artists to arrive in Fortitude Valley for BIGSOUND 2022 and for everyone else to see how special they are too."
Queensland songstress on career trajectory
Toowoomba indie pop favourite Cloe Terare will play Black Bear Lodge on Wednesday and La La Land on Thursday, after what she described as an "awesome" year so far in her career.
Terare's debut single Take Me Home earned the number one spot on the Indigenous triple j charts and number 18 in the Unearthed top 100.
At the 2019 QMusic Amplify Songwriting Retreat, Terare's collaboration with DVNA on the soulful Easy earned them the top prize.
The track also scored her Artist of the Week at the Australian Independent Record Labels Association and saw her featured in HappyMag and F Magazine.
Inspired by the soulful influences Jessie Reyez, Lana Del Ray and H.E.R, Terare said she had been trying to play BIGSOUND for three years and was excited to finally be part of the music festival.
After escaping a "massive hit" during COVID because she was just starting out, Terare said she had used the past two years to hone her writing and music.
"Before COVID I was thrust into a lot of live performances where I would write just for that performance," she said.
"When there were not more live performances, I was able to rethink the whole project, I feel like it just gave me the space to not rush anything."
While the BIGSOUND conference will allow Terare to "learn new things, help other artists who didn't get the opportunity to go and meet people I've not met before", she will have plenty left in the tank for her fans.
"They can expect a lot of energy and to have a fun, rowdy time," she said.
"No matter what crowd I'm playing to I try my hardest get them up on their feet, with lots of energy."
Boost for other artists
Crashing with her best friend while in Brisbane, Terare said she was looking forward to catching up with Jem Cassar-Daley and Mr Rhodes — two artists she spent time writing with recently.
Terare will also catch Ian Brady, a friend of her grandad and country music legend Garth Terare.
Coming from such a musical family has given Terare a creative freedom many would kill for.
"My family understands whatever road I want to take creatively, there's no judgement," she said.
"Whatever I'm bringing out, I don't need to worry if it's controversial, if it's too sexy for my dad.
"They understand the creative side of things, there's a respect for music and what I do."
Although it can be difficult, Terare tells other aspiring musicians to "follow your heart".
"I definitely think you have to go your own way, don't worry about what other people think and what your parents think, or your cousins, people at school," she said.
"Just follow your heart and do exactly what you want to do.
"You have to be true to yourself and what you love."
