It’s no secret that the GC and Northern Rivers produce some of the best musical artists that go on to do some amazing things in the industry. From Amy Shark to Casey Barnes, thousands of musicians are out there giving the Gold Coast a good name. Today, we look at ten local musical acts that have kicked big goals in music, thanks to our good mates over at Gold Coast Music.
Amy Shark
We all know that Amy Shark is one of the Gold Coast’s most successful exports. From her hit single ‘Adore’ racking up over 82 million streams to winning Multiple ARIA awards, she has no shortage of wins. Most recently, Shark has been a judge on Australian Idol, where she’s able to help young artists in Australia climb the ranks of the music industry just like she did.
Casey Barnes
Casey Barnes is the country King of the Gold Coast, boasting a long successful career since the release of his first album ‘Say What You Feel’ In 2004. In the past 21 years, Barnes has gone on to release six more albums, place in the seventh season of Australian Idol, and most recently, take out the Best Country Album category at the 2022 ARIA awards with his album ‘Light Them Up’.
Budjerah
Born in the Northern Rivers on Bundjalung Land, Budjerah is a proud Coodjinburra man with the voice of an absolute angel. At 21 years old, Budjerah has already achieved what most musicians hope to accomplish in a lifetime, with massive streaming numbers, a record deal with Sony and many adoring fans. However, his most significant achievement to date would have to be his most recent tour with none other than Ed Sheeran. Budjerah opened for the songwriting legend for all his Australian shows, cementing his massive future in Aus music.
Tones and I
Toni Watson, AKA Tones and I, is one of the biggest musical success stories to come out of the Northern Rivers area. Starting out by busking on the streets in Byron Bay, Watson was shot into the limelight after she released her debut single ‘Dance Monkey’, which now has over 2.7 billion streams. Now Watson lives in LA, partying it up with megastars and continuing to release hit after hit.
Jacob Lee
Pop singer/songwriter Jacob Lee is another busker-turned-super-star who crashed onto the scene in 2014 when he was a contestant on the third season of The Voice. Since then, he’s released two albums to critical acclaim and has done massive numbers on streaming services, with his most popular single ‘Chariot’ currently clocking over 32 million streams. Lee still resides on the Gold Coast but spends much of his time touring the world and reaching as many people in his major international fan base as possible.
Lastlings
Electronic-pop, brother and sister duo Lastlings have had a massive few years since their debut single in 2015, ‘Verona’, stole the hearts of many people around Australia. Now, with a few more singles under their belt, they’ve also cracked the international market as well, with the duo playing Coachella in 2019.
Saint Lane
Saint Lane has become a major player in the Aus music scene over the past few years with the release of his pop-indie songs like ‘bootleg jordans’ and ‘staring at the sun’. Coming up in a new wave of artistry, where musicians garner fame and fortune through social media, Saint Lane has found a huge following on TikTok, where fans from all over the world interact with him and keep up to date on his newest releases.
Jesswar
Releasing their first single ‘Savage’ in 2017, Jesswar quickly became a fan favourite in the hip-hop R&B scene. Known for their infectious performances and exciting stage antics, Jesswar is a force to be reckoned with in the industry, collaborating with some of the best, including DZ Deathrays and Erica Banks. Recently, they were invited to perform a ‘Like A Version’ on triple j, covering ‘Rollin’’ by Limp Bizkit.
M-Phazes
Not many people know that revered producer and hitmaker Mark Landon, AKA M-Phazes, was born and raised in Burleigh on the GC. Releasing his debut E.P in 2009, Landon has come a long way and is now one of the world's most sought-after producers. He’s worked with artists like Logic, Demi Lovato, Madonna, Eminem, Kehlani, Zara Larsson, Remi Wolf, Kiiara, Noah Cyrus, and Cautious Clay. Like Jesswar, M-Phazes was also invited to do a converted ‘Like A Version’ where he tackled Weathered by Jack Garret with fellow Australian Ruel.
Hollow Coves
Starting out playing small folk shows along the Esat Coast, Gold Coast locals Hollow Coves found success after releasing their debut E.P ‘Wanderlust’ in 2017. Now they live in Canada and England, respectively and write songs through online means. At the 2018 Gold Coast Music Awards, Hollow Coves took home two awards: Breakout Artist of the Year and Song of the Year with their single ‘Coastline’.
Ten emerging local acts to watch, courtesy of Gold Coast Music’s Stewy:
The Rropes
The Off Beats
Jake Whittaker
Parker Sounds
Sugar Game
Bunyip Aristocracy
Kent Dustin
The Silencio
Hurricanes & Echoes
Lotus Ship
