Experimental and expressive, the music in Australia is truly one-of-a-kind. We have rounded up three artists who are defining the scene, building communities, and carving their own paths. From the galactic, fantastical world of Dirty Versachi, to the sultry, electro sound of Mo•Louie, to the explosive yet intimate music of Max Lawrence, keep reading for our Ones to Watch.

Experimental and electric, Dirty Versachi creates otherworldly soundscapes of dance-pop. With an overarching statement of acceptance, touching on themes of isolation and disconnect while embracing self-expression and individuality, the artist has created a beautiful community. Bringing people together through their fantastical art, they give voice to those who feel like they don’t belong on their own planet. Escapist and powerful, their music rejects assimilation and celebrates standing out. In their newest single, “Don’t Go Thru My Phone (ft. Jamaica Moana)”, and accompanying music video, Dirty Versachi plays with neon colours and space-age fashion to bring their electronic sound into a visual world.

Dirty Versachi explains: “For me, being able to express my sexuality through music has always been a challenge. For a long time, I was told to hide my sexuality if I wanted to make it in music, but I’ve now come to love who I am and all parts of me. This song and being Dirty Versachi allows me to fully explore this. In a way, it is a love letter to my younger self, as it is unashamedly queer, flirtatious, and maybe even a little raunchy. Through this song, I hope to inspire others to embrace their inner weirdness, not to yuck someone’s yum, and find joy in the things that make them unique.”

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Artist-producer Mo•Louie grew up with a compilation of musical influences: Her mother’s love of Stevie Wonder, Liza Minelli, and Sammy David Jr., her childhood obsession with Disney and musical theatre, and a high school experimentation with performing in bands. The solo alt-pop sound she now produces references her plethora of inspirations in a fresh way all her own. Her newest single, “Signs”, is an atmospheric and escapist electro-pop track. Lyrically, it explores how we attach meaning to objects and ideas, and how that can impact our lives. A clear reflection of her expansive mind, it combines groovy synths and sultry vocals, creating a mesmerising masterpiece.

Mo•Louie explains: “‘Signs’, for me, represent our brains delving deep into the meanings of inanimate objects & ideas (like horoscopes, myths or superstitions) in order for us to make sense of things, which is beautifully peculiar. Many times in my life, I have attached good or bad things that happened to me with a superstition or ‘sign’, and my mind goes wild trying to make connections. It has gotten a bit sinister at times, and I started believing these things so much that it would affect my life. I look back and reflect and see how powerfully creative your mind can become deciphering these fictions. I wanted to represent this with intricate & interesting synth sounds and samples, nostalgic moments, and a playground for the sounds going wild (like one’s mind). So I was very particular in creating the sounds and world for this song down to the very last detail”.

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Explosive, maximalist, and expressive are all words that come to mind when you hear Max Lawrence’s music. Weaving effortlessly through genres and detailing intimate subject matter, they create music that deeply resonates with listeners. After an early experience in music performing in a rock band as a teenager, Max ventured off on their own and truly came to life in the world of artistic pop. In true Max fashion, sonics and emotion come together once more in their new single, “All I Want”, out now with a music video. It is a representation of rebirth, lyrically discussing a new chapter following the breakup of a six-year-long relationship. With messages of self-love and acceptance, it details a moment of realisation. Melancholic, soulful, and nostalgic, it is the first track released off of Max’s upcoming sophomore EP.

Max Lawrence explains: “I was trying to work out who I was outside of them. I didn’t feel seen, wanted or loved, and was trying so desperately to hold onto them, while witnessing them slip further away. By the end there was this huge distance between us, and I would consistently try to reach through the void to them with an open hand, but they slowly stopped reaching back”.

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