LIVE NATION’S ONES TO WATCH sets its sights on Byron Bay featuring talented artists DOBBY, LOREN RYAN, DEM MOB and ROX LAVI.
Fresh off the back of staging its debut event on the West Coast in Fremantle, Live Nation’s ONES TO WATCH returns to New South Wales, this time posting up in the lush coastal surrounds of Byron Bay. Coming to the iconic Backroom at THE NORTHERN on THURSDAY 24 JULY, this edition of ONES TO WATCH celebrates and amplifies Indigenous Australian excellence, putting the spotlight on four of the country’s most striking names: DOBBY, LOREN RYAN, DEM MOB and ROX LAVI.
A proud Filipino/Murrawurri musician, producer and composer, DOBBY’s musical journey is intrinsically tied with his own journey through young adulthood, into a space where he carries the stories and lessons of his people forward in a way where he is able to impart knowledge onto a new generation of creatives. DOBBY’s sound has seamlessly blended rap with expansive and contemporary arrangements – a fusion that has brought DOBBY Australian and international acclaim. The release of his 2024 album Warrangu: River Story re-established DOBBY as an Australian talent to watch; his personal brand of storytelling breaking open new dialogue around how fascinating and exciting the work of our First Nations artists currently is, and continues to be.
Next on the line-up comes young Gamillaraay woman Loren Ryan, a quickly-rising star in Australia’s country music scene. Winner of the 2023 Toyota Star Maker award, and a nominee of last year’s prestigious Golden Guitar Award for New Talent of the Year, Loren’s journey has seen her performing with the likes of Troy Cassar-Daley, Jessica Mauboy, and harmonising with pop legend Kelly Rowland on The Voice AU. Known for incorporating her mother tongue into her original music as well as renditions of well-known beloved pop songs – with her breathtaking cover of Cold Chisel’s ‘Flame Trees’ having amassed over 707K streams – Loren weaves culture into her art at every turn.
Hailing from the APY lands in the community of Pukatja, DEM MOB are hip hop trailblazers in their own right – they are not only the first hip hop group from their region, but they are the first MCs to rap in Pitjantjajara language. Born out of a desire to empower youth and their community through a powerful connection of culture and music, DEM MOB has become more than just a music group: they are a movement. Their work as musicians has seen them perform internationally – to date, they are the first and only Indigenous Australian artists to have performed at Barcelona’s Primavera Sound – while constant music releases have landed them praise from tastemakers around Australia, including triple j and triple j Unearthed.
22 year old Gomeroi man ROX LAVI has emerged as a fiercely talented young artist in only the last two years. Ipswich born and raised, Rox Lavi (in his words) was raised by rap music, and gravitated to wordplay and poetry at an early age. While hip hop remains within the core of his music’s DNA, Rox Lavi’s music today thrives on an expanded palette of influences that incorporate indie and alt-rock influences, and that fans of artists including BROCKHAMPTON and Dominic Fike would love.
Returning to host this year’s ONES TO WATCH event will be the Gen Z voice of Australian music media, Tait McGregor. A multi-platform content creator, the presenter specializes in music, from TV, radio & podcasts, to sweaty mosh pits. Having written for the likes of MTV Australia, Tone Deaf & The AU Review, she has also worked on productions for Netflix, STAN, VEVO & more.
ABOUT ONES TO WATCH
The ONES TO WATCH series has made a solid impact within the Australian music community. In Australia since 2021, the series has been serving industry and fans exclusive opportunities to see some of the country’s best talent perform in intimate environments across Melbourne, Sydney, Darwin and Brisbane, highlighting the talent of the current wave of Australian talent primed to make their impact in other markets.
Since its establishment in North America, the ONES TO WATCH series has been able to support and promote artists such as Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo and Halsey early in their careers. So far in Australia, ONES TO WATCH has platformed artists including Mariae Cassandra, Ghost Care, Ullah, Salty, Lotte Gallagher, Fletcher Kent, Chanel Loren, J-MILLA, Georgia Lines, Ishan, Adrian Dzvuke, Phebe Starr, J.Tajor, Yung Milla, Juran, Blake Rose, Sophisticated Dingo, STUMPS, Forest Claudette, Teenage Joans, Carla Wehbe, ZPLUTO, WIIGZ, Hoodzy, East AV3, Colourblind and Saint Lane at events around the country.
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