Falls Festival 2018

The 2018 & Twenty-Sixth Annual Falls Festival Line-Up Is Here!

Bless the rains and hold the line! Flying past the quarter-century mark and making a fearless leap into its 26th year, Falls Festival lets loose with another ecstatic excuse to join thousands of friends old and new at Australia's best New Year's party! With an all-star line-up landing amongst the glittering sunsets, cobalt coastlines and disco docklands of Australia's heartland, artists from across Australia and around the world are primed to transform our rolling natural amphitheaters and inner-city stages this summer.

Warmer weather is just around the corner and with the return of the sun comes the arrival of renewed optimism and feverish expectations for 2019. Falls Festival aims to capture this reborn positivity and blast it skyward from stage to crowd, creating an unforgettable celebration of the very best music, arts and good times.

Underneath the Falls hood you'll find: world class music • creative installations • visual arts performances • pop-up bars and beer gardens • pass outs all festival long • thoughtful camping facilities • comedy clubs • daily beach access • glorious gourmet fare • makers' markets • local traders • beauty parlours • holistic yoga and well-being, plus loads more to be announced!

A line-up packed to the brim with red-hot international and national artists has been carefully curated and the sites in Lorne, Marion Bay, Byron Bay and Fremantle will be whipped into shape in readiness for another New Year's special. With every show selling out last year, there's no doubt that after two and a half decades, Falls remains as vital as the summer sun.

The Falls Music & Arts Festival 2018/19 National Line-Up:
ANDERSON .PAAK & THE FREE NATIONALS • CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN (ONLY AUS SHOWS) •
VANCE JOY • CHVRCHES • HILLTOP HOODS • TOTO • INTERPOL • 88RISING FEAT.RICH BRIAN, JOJI, NIKI & AUGUST 08 (ONLY AUS SHOWS) •FLIGHT FACILITIES • AMY SHARK • DMA'S • KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD • GOLDEN FEATURES • FIRST AID KIT (ONLY AUS SHOWS) •OCEAN ALLEY • HOCKEY DAD • CASHMERE CAT (ONLY AUS SHOWS) • THE VACCINES • CUB SPORT • RUEL • JACK RIVER • BISHOP BRIGGS • MALLRAT •BRIGGS • TOUCH SENSITIVE • TKAY MAIDZA • DERMOT KENNEDY • TIRED LION • HOBO JOHNSON & THE LOVEMAKERS • SOCCER MOMMY • ODETTE • MAHALIA • HATCHIE • WEST THEBARTON • SAM FENDER • TIA GOSTELOW • KOTA BANKS • TRIPLE ONE • ALICE SKYE • HEAPS GAY DJ'S & FRIENDS
+ PLUS LOADS MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED +

2018/19 EVENTS:
Lorne VIC: 28 Dec, 29 Dec, 30 Dec, 31 Dec (est. 1993) 18+ event
Marion Bay TAS: 29 Dec, 30 Dec, 31 Dec (est. 2003) All ages
Byron Bay NSW: 31 Dec, 01 Jan, 02 Jan (est. 2013) 18+ event
Fremantle WA: 05 Jan, 06 Jan (est. 2016) 18+ event

Tickets To Falls:
Friends of Falls pre-sales will commence at12pm (local time) Friday 31 August
VISA Checkout pre-sales will commence at9am (local time) Monday 03 September
General Sales will commence at 9am (local time) Thursday 06 September
Local Tasmanian in store sales will commence at 9am (local time) Thursday 06 September

All details and pricing can be found at: fallsfestival.com

ANDERSON .PAAK & THE FREE NATIONALS
Minty fresh and overflowing with renewed energy as Dr. Dre finishes twiddling the knobs on his hugely anticipated third album,Anderson .Paak is back with a bang. We've already been gifted two new slices of trademark realness in 'Til It's Over' and 'Bubblin', and if these two towers are anything to go by, we're in for a rare treat yet again. Originally from Oxnard California, Paak was first exposed on Dre's final album Compton, as he was given space to showcase his considerable skills. He then sent eager ears into overdrive with the release of the Grammy winning album Malibu.

CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN (ONLY AUS SHOWS)
Festival ready rock at its absolute scintillating best,its amazing to think that Catfish And The Bottlemen's debut album The Balcony only came out four years ago. In that time, these megastars have developed a collection of tunes and connection with their fans that has seen them become one of the UK's biggest musical exports. Led by the impassioned vocals and street- smart lyricism's of Van McCann, the foursome lay claim to epic singalongs like 'Kathleen', 'Cocoon', '7' and 'Twice' - always ensuring that their sets are highlighted on intelligent itineraries. Regular winners on the Australian circuit, Catfish And The Bottlemen will be premiering plenty of new material for rabid fans this time out.

VANCE JOY
Singer, songwriter, former VFL star, Taylor Swift's mate: Vance Joy is many things to many people. Tous he's just a ripping guy with a massive voice and a suitcase full of honestly affecting and loveable tunes. Touring hard on the back of this years Nation of Two release, the ukulele slinging Joy has built a discography of tunes to complement his seismic worldwide breakout hit Riptide. It's worth mentioning that his debut album Dream Your Life Away, has gone (deep breath) Platinum in Australia, Platinum in Canada, Silver in the United Kingdom and Platinum in the US. Phew. That's a lot of units for a guy from Murrumbeena. There'll be many more to come too as Vance Joy gets cosy on his throne as the Prince of Australian singer-songwriters.

CHVRCHES
Armed with a shattering new record and driven by a reaffirmed love for glassy,synthesised and wildly melodic pop, Scottish trio Chvrches will set the gold standard for this year's festival. Despite the gloomy album title Love Is Dead, which singer Lauren Mayberry says relates to society's "death of empathy", it has been hailed as a major step forward for the band. Already riding high on the back of previous showstoppers like 'The Mother We Share' and 'Clearest Blue', these new tunes are brilliantly tailored to the stadiums and festivals that Chvrches are now accustomed to. Mayberry's ecstatic stage energy is enveloped in a wash of light,colour and pulsing beats that sparkles in all the right places.

HILLTOP HOODS
Having just dropped their ode to dorky Dads everywhere in latest single 'Clark Griswold', Adelaide's finest export since West End Bitter, Hilltop Hoods are primed and ready to dominate yet another festival stage. In fact, if you were to sit down today and put together a list ofall time top 10 of Australian live acts, these heroes would go pretty close to topping the bill. Formed in 1993, MC's Suffa and Pressure along with DJ Debris have been a model in consistency in churning out innumerable hits, collaborating with stars established and rising, reaching double platinum sales and even rubbing shoulders with symphony orchestras. National treasures don't just pop up, it's our civic duty to cherish Hilltop Hoods.

TOTO
They say fashion is cyclical... and they're right. Truly amazing things never go out of style, regardless of when they first popped up. Toto's tune 'Africa' is one of these things. First heard in 1982, this masterpiece of popular prog has been a staple of pop culture since release. Taken from their massive second album Toto IV, it combined their other calling card Rosanna to introduce Toto to a massive audience. That record would go on to win several Grammy Awards and establish a base from which the band grew into one of the most prolific and durable acts in modern music history. Musically mind blowing and with more hits that you can poke a stick at, there's no doubt that people will ask "where were you when Toto played Falls?" for years to come.

INTERPOL
Celebrating the release of their latest album Marauder by doing what they always did best and hitting the road, Interpol will arrive Down Under in career best form. Featuring the already acclaimed singles The Rover and Number 10, the new album will be their sixth and is yet another flawless display of post-punk mastery. Formed at NYU in 1997 and led by the inimitable croon of Paul Banks, Interpol trail behind them a stacked songbook which features some of the mostrecognisable sonic blasts of the last two decades. Slow Hands, Evil, C'Mere and The Heinrich Manoeuvre are just a few examples of their world-beating hybrid of post-punk, post-rock and guitar pop that has seen Interpol sell millions of records globally.

88RISING (FEAT. RICH BRIAN, JOJI, NIKI & AUGUST 08) (ONLY AUS SHOWS) Something a little different and extremely cool for this year's festival comes in the form of Asian hip-hop collective 88rising. Established as a label with the intention of championing Asian artists across America and Europe, they have recently crystallised and dropped their debut album Head In The Clouds – a release that features their entire roster. Bringing the whole thing together for the stage, 88rising will be showcasing (among others) the considerable talents of Rich Brian, an 18-year-old Chinese Indonesian prodigy who managed to teach himself English just by listening to popular hip-hop.

FLIGHT FACILITIES
How do you follow up a classic debut album? The road to musical longevity is paved with artists without the answer to that question. Flight Facilities, forward thinking as always, are taking a different road. Their firstborn, Down To Earth, was seismic. Spawning two symphony concerts, an ARIA, a Top 5 chart placing and two of the most recognisable dance tunes of a generation in Crave You and Clair De Lune: it was unstoppable. To combat follow-up fatigue they've been brilliantly prolific. Tossing out tunes like it's no big deal, this dynamic duo have given us recent gold in Need You (feat. Nika) and All Your Love (feat. Dustin Tebbett) to prove themselves as the most enduring dance act of their generation.

AMY SHARK
Appearing as if from nowhere to dominate all and sundry, the rise and rise of Amy Sharkhas been a real true blue Australian win for the ages. After years of putting in the hard yards, this humble Gold Coast native with a knack for melody and the ability to cut right through loose heartstrings with a single hook, broke out big in 2016 with bonafide smash hit 'Adore'. Only just falling short of being the first female to top the triple j Hottest 100 (the track came in at number 2 in 2017), Shark has clocked up win after win. She co-wrote with Blink 182's Mark Hoppus, appeared on Jimmy Fallon and James Corden, took home multiple ARIA's and has now followed up the pop slice of 'I Said Hi' with huge debut album Love Monster.

DMA'S
Australia's drug of choice when it comes to widescreen, inch perfect guitar pop, Sydney's DMA's have spent the last year kicking arse, taking names and going bananas internationally. Their latest album For Now is another sweetly timed blast of song craft, further convincing fans old and new that this pack of likely lads have exactly what it takes to represent their country on the worldwide stage. Something like a merger between Paul Kelly and the Happy Mondays, or even a lovechild of The Go-Betweens and Oasis, For Now was recently described as "BIBLICAL" (caps very deliberate) by none other than Liam Gallagher. Hard earned praise indeed but totally understandable when you see these fellas in full flight.

KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD
Prolific, ridiculous, psychedelic and supremely accomplished, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are back to blow more minds at this year's festival. Currently still riding atop on any number of the 5 (count em: 5) albums they released last year, these Melbourne-based trouble-makers have garnered a significant international following devoted to their free-form wig outs and tasteful use of the humble flute. One of these records, the rhythmically thrilling Polygondwanaland landed at number 17 in Pitchfork's Top 20 rock albums of 2018, with the website praising the band's ability to "live in their own universe". We should all be so lucky to spend just one day on their planet.

GOLDEN FEATURES
The masked vigilante of Australian dance music, Golden Features aims to blow your musical mind in the most mysterious way possible. Busting out in 2014 through 'Tell Me', his collaboration with golden girl Nicole Millar, our man was then tapped by US artist Porter Robinson to remix his banger 'Years of War'. That track went viral almost immediately and set Golden Features up for several years of globetrotting endeavours. Swift with a hook and deadly with a collab, the man known to his mates as Tom Stell has worked with the likes of Thelma Plum, Julia Stone and Alison Wonderland in producing tunes that pop up in the Hottest 100 like clockwork. With new album SECT having just dropped and a huge new stage show ripping around the country - on stage he is nothing short of an audiovisual mastermind.

FIRST AID KIT (ONLY AUS SHOWS)
Breezing through the festival like a cool wind on a scorching hot day, the glued-together harmonies and sonorous melodies of Swedish sisters First Aid Kit will be welcomed with open arms. As they make their way around the globe charming all and sundry with tracks from their latest album Ruins (described by NME as a "stunning delight"), the ladies will arrive in Australia with years of goodwill up their sleeve. Their first two records The Lions Roar and Stay Gold saw them regularly captivate antipodean audiences and carved for them a permanent place in our heart.

OCEAN ALLEY
Hailing from the beautiful northern beaches of NSW and sounding every bit as if they've just rolled in off the swell, Ocean Alley have become the punters choice when it comes to chilled out, reggae-infused and blissfully melodic tunes. Building since 2011, their debut album Chiaroscuro was released earlier this year and immediately installed as a triple j feature album, also landing in the ARIA top 10 in a remarkable result for the band. The lead single 'Confidence' has become Ocean Alley's calling card, with its unforgettable chorus ringing out across sold out venues and festival stages everywhere. Not bad work for a bunch of lads formed out of spontaneous back shed jam sessions.

HOCKEY DAD
The first band from Windang, Wollongong to hit the top 10 of the ARIA charts, Hockey Dad's newest album Blend Inn is making history for the 2-piece surf rockers. Sitting atop the throne of triple j's most played tracks in 2018 are their singles 'I Wanna Be Everybody' and 'Join The Club' and it's on the back of these perfect slices of melodic rock that the duo have moved from up-and-comers to bona-fide headliners over the last year. Hitting the road with excessive force, Hockey Dad have garnered a reputation for blistering live shows that even had them rescheduling a recent show in Brisbane due to "structural issues" caused by their mosh-happy underage fans. Game on!
CASHMERE CAT (ONLY AUS SHOWS)
Cashmere Cat is the alias of Scandinavian turntablist and wunderkind Magnus Høiberg. If you haven't heard of his name quite yet, you've definitely heard his music. Starting out by combining synthesisers, luscious drums sounds and colourful beats in his home studio, it wasn't long before curiosity got the better of the reclusive young producer as he ventured out onto the world stage. Soon, after forging a friendship with fellow hit maker Blanco, Cashmere Cat's phone began to blow up with the likes of a The Weeknd, Ariana Grande and Kanye West all requiring his services. His debut album 9 has capitalised on the growing hype with guest spots galore and a potent mix of electro, pop and something else entirely.

THE VACCINES
One of the most enduring English rock bands of the last decade, The Vaccines are back on Australian shores a new album and a new collection of catchy-as-hell festival readyfavourites in tow. Combat Sports is the band's fourth record and has signaled a slight change in direction for the London natives. Influenced by the best of 70's and 80's rock (think Big Star, T-Rex and Guided By Voices), it nestles sweetly next to other Vaccines albums like 2011's What Did You Expect From The Vaccines and 2015's English Graffiti. A band both of their time and forged from a deep love of the masters that came before them, The Vaccines are in permanent red-hot form.

CUB SPORT
A vital burst of synth-lead perfection, Cub Sport have grown in front of our very eyes to become one of the most accomplished artists in the country. Currently still coasting on their beatific second record BATS, the Tim Nelson lead legends have taken all before them and emerged victorious. Their gorgeous siren song 'O Lord' signaled a seismic shift for the band personally and musically and was embraced as they sold out venues throughout Australia and the world. As their following expands, so does their ambition and bravery so we're thrilled to welcome Cub Sport to this year's festival.

RUEL
Only 15 years of age but already boasting a musical CV that any veteran of the stage would die for, Sydney wunderkind Ruel is armed with a once-in-a-lifetime voice. Already counting the likes of Elton John, Khalid and millions of YouTubers as fans, this young man rose to prominence when he joined M-Phazes for a triple j Like A Version of Jack Garrett's tune Weathered. His affecting, soul-infused singles Younger, Don't Tell Me and Dazed and Confused have been praised globally and he was recently handpicked to join Post Malone, SZAand Tyler, The Creator at LA's Camp Flog Naw. Get around this kid – he's doing serious business.

JACK RIVER
A dream weaver with a joyous pop sparking and just a hint a hint of heartbreak, Jack River is a serious jewel. Releasing her debut album Sugar Mountain this year to a rapidly increasing fan base, this Sydney-sider deals in synth-washed sketches awash in melodic brilliance. Tunes like 'Fools Gold', 'Fault Line' and 'Ballroom' have seen Jack River sell out venues nationwide and become a festival favourite. She's also the co-founder of Electric Lady, an organisation doing great work amplifying the volume of women in music, politics, science, sport and beyond.

BISHOP BRIGGS
Born in London but a citizen of the world, Bishop Briggs takes elements of soul, R&B, hip-hop and booming indie, wraps them in a forceful, expansive voice and exhibits them with rare grace. The product of an intercontinental upbringing across Europe, Asia and America, she was first spotted in LA playing the small bar scene. This lead to her first single 'Wild Horses', a great distillation of the universe Bishop Briggs inhabits. Acoustic plucking gives way to bombastic bass and a banger is born. Her debut album Church of Scars was released this year and, coupled with her appearance on the Fifty Shades Free soundtrack (covering our own INXS), brought this young powerhouse into sharper focus worldwide.

MALLRAT
Planting her flag bravely on the border of several genres, Brisbane gem Mallrat glides across disciplines with ease. One second she's rapping, next she's sweetly crooning and next thing you know she's whipping up danceable beats with the ruthless skills of an artist twice her age. Her debut single 'Suicide Blonde' made a seismic impact on the Australian music scene with its irresistible hook and razor sharp lyrical dimensions, thrusting Mallrat onto stages in venues that she couldn't even legally set foot in at the tender age of 17. Mentored by festival royalty in Allday, she has since honed her craft and built up a fantastic catalogue of multi-coloured tunes including 'Better, 'Groceries' and 'UFO'.

BRIGGS
As he moves closer and closer to 'icon' status with every bounding leap, your man Briggs hits this year's line-up at full speed. Outspoken, hilarious, prolific and undeniably talented, this self-made rapper holds a mirror to contemporary Australia – never sugar-coating the images returned. His three solo albums have been powerful masterclasses and his work in collaboration with Trials as A.B. Original sealed the deal as it dominated awards season. He even voiced a character on the new Matt Groening cartoon! How many rappers from Shepparton can say that? Not many. If any.

TOUCH SENSITIVE
More than just a 'Pizza Guy', Sydney producer Touch Sensitive prides himself on an ability to get things going. A lord of choppy synths, strolling baselines and general good times, the former member of Van She has a catalogue filled to the brim with dance-floor fillers. Recently touring the USA with label mates and good friends Flight Facilities and Flume, Touch Sensitive returned home to drop his debut album Visions. The record contained huge singles 'No Other High' and 'Lose It All' and basked in glowing reviews. The resultant sold-out shows were high watermarks in an already glittering career and showcased a kaleidoscopic new stage set featuring a full live band with all the bells and whistles.

TKAY MAIDZA
An established Queen of the Australian scene, Tkay Maidza is reliably scintillating. Making her name over the past few years as an MC, a collaborator and a festival mainstay, this Zimbabwe- born, Adelaide-bred legend has a permanent residence in the hearts and minds of the Australian punter. Her live sets always evolve into impromptu block parties as tunes like 'Brontosaurus', 'M.O.B', 'Ghost' regularly slay. Her work in tandem with heroes like Killer Mike and Troye Sivan is equally thrilling and her latest single 'Flexin'', a collaboration with red-hot LA rapper DUCKWRTH, is yet another example of Tkay's ability to bend minds and genres.

DERMOT KENNEDY
Endorsed by Taylor Swift, mentored by Glen Hansard and compared to the likes of James Blake and even Drake - Irish singer songwriter Dermot Kennedy lands at this year's festival tailing a truckload of well deserved hype. Possessing a mighty set of pipes that have sent his tunes 'After Rain' and 'Moments Passed' to the top of streaming charts worldwide, Kennedy is fast becoming a young master in melding soulful Irish folk elements and glitchy pop production techniques. His most recent release, Young and Free, showcases this skill perfectly as the track builds its eccentric core around powerful vocals. Mesmerising, sincere and outrageously talented, Dermot Kennedy will be a New Year's gem to be treasured.

TIRED LION
A pounding, thriving, melodic explosion of riffs and hooks, Perth's Tired Lion live in a constant state of combustion. Dropping their massive debut album Dumb Days last year (produced by members of Violent Soho) to widespread acclaim, they then did what every good rock band does: hit the road. As they wound their way around the planet, their tunes 'Fresh', 'Dumb Days' and 'Where Were You' congealed into undeniable splinters of song. Known for their no holds barred live show, these sandgropers have carved out a massive sound perfect for some good old fashioned mosh pit action.

HOBO JOHNSON & THE LOVEMAKERS
A remarkable young man with the soul of a poet, a tripwire voice and talent to burn, Hobo Johnson is a Sacramento based musician like nothing you've ever heard before. Surviving a tough upbringing in which he was ostracised for histechnicolour personality, Johnson first started making music in his 1994 Toyota Corolla which doubled as his home at the time (hence the name). His flow is crooked and his heart lives on his sleeve but something in the elements of hip hop, folk, slam poetry and indie that he has pooled together has led to a huge following and plenty of buzz. The NPR Tiny Desk video of his track Peach Scone has clocked up nearly 9 million views as the world tunes into to one man's magical madness.

SOCCER MOMMY
Settling on the funniest moniker possible would usually be a bit of a misstep for a new artist but Soccer Mommy, the solo explorations of 20-year-old Nashville native Sophie Allison, isn't really concerned with your perceptions. In fact, her single 'Your Dog' opens with the classic salvo "I don't wanna be your f**king dog". Point taken. Living in the same realm of pointed lyrical guitar pop as favoured Australian export Courtney Barnett, Soccer Mommy has built from bedroom tape beginnings to sit as one of the more talked about up-and-comers of 2018. Her debut album Clean was recently released on prestigious Fat Possum records and she has toured with the likes of Liz Phair, Paramore and Foster The People.

ODETTE
A product of Sydney's inner western suburbs with a voice as devastatingly emotive as it is incisive, the Australian music scene has fallen head over heels for young songstress Odette. Rising through the Unearthed channels with speed, this prodigy was recognised for her ability to tug at the heart-strings as she built perfect pieces of indie-pop gold. Her debut album is To A Stranger, a release that was immediately installed as the triple j feature album, leading to a debut in the Top 20 of the ARIA charts. A run of sold out Australian shows followed and by the time she hits the stage at Falls Festival this year, Odette is at very good odds to have become a bona fide phenomenon.

MAHALIA
As she shares a producer with Drake, stars in independent films and goes viral on YouTube with her sticky, soul flow slow jams, English rising star Mahalia maintains a modicum of cool. A product of Leicester, she has been gradually building a profile through her teen years and now, at the ripe old age of 19, is ready to hit the world stage. Cuts like 'Sober' will aid this transition - packing a drunk-dial topic we can all relate to and arriving fresher than a freezing winters morning. So far she has released a couple of EP's and featured on the title track of Rudimental's We The Generation album, but you get the feeling the plane is really only just on the runway for Mahalia. Come see her take off.

HATCHIE
An undeniable product of glorious Queensland sunshine, Hatchie has yet to put a foot wrong in her short time in the spotlight. Emerging last year through triple j Unearthed, this kaleidoscopic talent put listeners on immediate notice with her hazy, sun-kissed vignettes and golden voice. Tracks like 'Try' and 'Sure' led Pitchfork to praise her "caramelized harmonies and carbonated synthesiser bubbles", with the influential website running a fawning feature on the young singer-songwriter. Capitalising on the swelling hype, she released Sugar & Spice, her fittingly titled debut EP, and is currently riding the resultant plaudits into the hearts of audiences both at home and abroad.

WEST THEBARTON
A 7-headed Altered Beast that thrives on garage rock and pure passion, Adelaide's West Thebarton have become an established force. From humble begins as West Thebarton Brothel Party, the band recently streamlined both their name and their approach. Led by a charismatic frontman only known as Reverend Ray, their anthems have pricked up ears all over the country as they've crashed into triple j playlist with the greatest of ease. Tracks like 'Bible Camp', 'Stuck On You' and 'Moving Out' (the latter described by themusic.com.au as an "instant classic") are already favourites and their debut album Different Beings Being Different has defeated all challengers.

SAM FENDER
Named as one of the BBC's Sounds of 2018, Sam Fender is a 21-year-old Englishman not afraid to highlight the bigger issues. While he takes his lyrical cues and ethos from the likes of Billy Bragg and Paul Weller, his musical sound is closer to that of Foals or Local Natives. Wherever it lands: it's on the money. His latest tune is Dead Boys, a searingly honest and emotive look at male suicide performed with unmistakable passion and fervour that led British DJ Annie Mac to declare it the hottest record in the world on release. With a debut album still on it's way, we'll be getting an early glimpse of this unique talent on the Falls stage - get there so you can say you were there.

TIA GOSTELOW
An overachiever of the best kind, Tia Gostelow wrote her breakout hitState of Art in 2016 when she was only 16 years old. Not content with just cruising through high school like her peers, the Mackay native started the ball rolling on a blossoming musical career by uploading her tunes to triple j Unearthed and immediately catching the ear of the national broadcaster. She then finished 2016 in the top 5 of Unearthed High and her tunes have since been a playlist staple. Dealing in classic indie with an ethereal twist, Gostelow's songs Strangers and Hunger have struck an immediate chord with waves of listeners, propelling her stream counts past half a million (and rising).

KOTA BANKS
A soaring talent laden with gorgeous pop hooks and executed with a wink to the avant-garde – Sydney dynamo Kota Banks is starting conversations wherever she goes. Raised on the cobbled streets of Florence, she spent her younger years forging a connection to her European heritage which informs her musical sensibilities today. Tunes 'Holiday' and 'Zoom' ooze class and attitude as they lean on far flung melodic influences to create instantly loveable bangers. Clocking up millions of streams and supporting the likes of Nina Las Vegas and DUCKWRTH, Kota even penned Australia's 2017 Junior Eurovision entry as she exhibits rare versatility and supreme style.

TRIPLE ONE
Comprised of rappers Marty Large and Obi Ill Terrors, producer Billy Gunns and vocalist Lil Dijon, Sydney natives Triple One are at the forefront of a burgeoning wave of new Australian hip-hop artists. Amassing a cult following with their temperamental approach, their trademark tune Doozy has connected big time and is pushing 1.5 million YouTube views as we speak. On this platform they provoke audiences and celebrate their versatile mix of R&B, hip-hop, showcasing their hard earned ability to combine elements of myriad other genres into a fresh sound. Fair warning though: their sets are infamous for their beer-soaked revelry so if that sounds up your alley, get prepared to get rowdy with Triple One at this year's festival.

ALICE SKYE
Intimate, stylish and possessing a natural flair that recalls the likes of Missy Higgins and Birdy, young singer-songwriter Alice Skye is steadying herself for a huge future. Her songs are dreamlike and recall the shadows of a childhood in the Wimmera region of north-Western Victoria. As a Weregaia woman, Skye's culture is essential in her approach and this was recognised as she was awarded the inaugural First Peoples Emerging Artist Award this past March. Add this to the triple j Unearthed prize she recently won to perform at the National Indigenous Music Awards and it's not hard to see why her songs friends with feelings and 60% are beginning to take hold.

HEAPS GAY DJ'S & FRIENDS
In a big year for Australia's LGBTIQ+ community, it's only fitting that we welcome Heaps Gay DJ's back to the Falls stage after a barnstorming set in Lorne last year. A massive celebration of inclusiveness, fun and creativity, Heaps Gay are a Sydney based collective formed a few years ago with modest intentions to put on a few quiet nights around town. Pretty soon things were snowballing big time. They recently shut down half of Marrickville for their annual street party and also held a rager at the Sydney Town Hall for Vivid Live that was so outrageously fun that it had to be shut down... Absolutely no risk of that happening at Falls though - we'll be ordering Heaps Gay DJ's to play it as loud and as proud as is humanly possible.