Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?

I started making music at 15 years old. I just used to steal random beats online and just do little freestyles and make cd's and give them out to my friends at school. And back then as well, I don't know if anybody remembers, but when we had Bluetooth on the phones, I remember I used to make a song and put it on my phone and Bluetooth it to my friends and people ended up Bluetoothing it to other kids and other kids and one day I was at Blacktown station and I heard somebody playing my song. That's when I knew I was going to make music from here on.

What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?

First time I got introduced to music was listening to Kanye West on the radio. I think that was when I was maybe 11, maybe 12. Me and my family were literally on the way home from church and I wasn't really allowed to listen to hip-hop because of the swearing and so on. So we all listened to gospel music and then one day, Kanye made this song called 'Jesus Walks' and when it came onto the radio, my parents let me listen to it. So from there on, I went on to become a big Kanye fan.

Tell us about your latest single 'My World'

'My World is about me being myself and not caring about what other people think.

 Q&A

Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?

My sound is definitely a direct reflection of what I have been exposed to musically and where I am from , growing up in Zimbabwe, having family in the UK and now Australia , I am a product of my environment , I guess you could say my music is like a nice bowl of gumbo. You going to get all type of different flavors and ingredients.

What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?

I am inspired by all types of music in general , I  really don't believe there is anything obetter than being exposed to different sounds and new artists from different walks of life. I have been exposed to different cultures and different sonics and  through my different pit stops around the world I have been able to use my experiences and incorporate that into my music. 

What can punters expect from a T$oko live show?

good vibes , good feels , loads of energy and we try and keep it real live. If you didn't know who i was before i hit the stage. I definitely wanna make sure u had a blast and know who i am once my set is finished. Or at least have you asking the next person who that was or where you can find the music.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from? 

 "Later is always greater  and its not a race its a marathon." Anonymous  Sometimes people  like to fast track there success and they get caught up in the hype. They are here one minute and gone the next because they never really had to put in the work or work at their craft. I have enjoyed the ride so far , and appreciate everyone who has even taken the time out to show a interest to this point

What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying? 

Ooh thats a tough one, I would either have to say Bernard Fanning - Wish you well.  or possibly Better - John Butler trio. That being said i think ill have to go with the home team , shoutout to  John butler and the whole fremantle maaan!

What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?

I'm sure. I'm sure..  Another tough one besides Ta-ku feat JMSN x Sango - Love Again. I will go with Tear us apart - INXS , i think their catalogue  was some of the first music from an Australian act i really became aware of while i was still growing up overseas . The raw emotion that pours through the track and Michael Hutchence's lyrics are really something. Outside of the success they had on a pop level,  I really believe Michael Hutchence is underrated as a song writer. lol

You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?

Depends what type of setting I would be spinning in. If it was a throwback set i would probably go INXS - New sensation. If it was pub flows I would do Darryl Braithwaite - Horses. And if its a new age set either One Day - Not Many (Like A Version) or DZ Deathrays - Gina Works At Hearts. My crates run deep , i am sure i would have something for whatever the occasion called for. haha .. Mixmaster Soko got you. lmao 

What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?

Ecca Vandal. Me and the band Foam were handling supports. Amazing gig. Such a vibe and a blend of genres. My kind of gig:)

Tell us about the bands or people in the Perth music community that inspire you.-

Being based in Fremantle , I tend to soak up a lot of whats going on around me. Its such a melting pot when it comes to culture and music definitely Tame impala and all the other artists from Perth that have come out and done great things just to name a few.

Ta-ku

Pendulum

John Butler Trio

AC/DC

I also cant forget my brothers from Tone Youth Collective who I work with. We always try to push each other and everyone brings they own twist to the table.

What are your plans for 2017?

Just keep introducing to people who i am as a artist and what my music is all about. I have got some pretty cool stuff coming up that ill be dropping real soon.  I feel like people still haven't seen everything i can offer from a artist standpoint so that's exciting for me. I don't want to say I have been holding back but there certain bits n pieces of music which i have held back that may surprise some people so I am excited to share what I have been cooking up. Also excited to drop some new music with my squad Tone Youth , I feel like we have a good chance to really show everyone what Perth has to offer and rep the 6k in the right way. Salute to everyone who has paved the way thus far. Also look forward to playing some shows and releasing some collabs with some special people. Stay tuned.

Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?

My music embodies the storytelling of a very indecisive person. It's shiny and sad and peaceful and folk-driven and roots based. I wanted to be a pop star at age 5, so I would write my own riddles and songs and sing them out to family. Over time I acquired a guitar & got really into folk/sadness/heartbreak. I think since high school has ended, I mostly still write about troubled things but in a tranquil way. 

What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?

90's pop icons, heartbreak, alienation, feeling too full after sushi and hangovers. 

What can punters expect from an Asha Jefferies live show?

Honesty is really important to me when performing. The songs I write are vulnerable and expressing them in an intimate and explosive way feels best. There feels no use in writing these songs unless I give the opportunity to vulnerably share and see connection in conversing on stage. 

What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?

 I sat down and had coffee with Emma Louise early last year. I remember her explaining how essential it is to write from your heart/unspoken part of you and let the mind fade. It's stuck with me ever since.

What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?

'The Ship Song' by Nick Cave.

What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?

'How to Make Gravy' by the Gravy Man (Paul Kelly).

You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?

I'm going to back myself with Miami Horror's 'Sometimes'.

What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?

I went and saw a 'Mustard' show presenting TOISOC, Caramel, Disco Indians & Lilian Vase last night. All coastal, psych-rock vibing bands. Honestly, it was great and it made me feel really cool contrasting with my 'i have a lot of feelings'-folk-shell. 

Tell us about the bands or people in the Brisbane music community that inspire you.

Oh my goodness! It is a joy and wonder to be surrounded in such a creative and inspiring community. Songwriters like Hazlett, Clea, Zefereli, Moreton and Daggy Man are just a few that I look up to immensely. 

What are your plans for 2018?

I'm going to buy a fish called Bullshit, go to New Zealand, release an EP, play some shows outside of Brisbane, wear my Birkenstocks, record new music and attempt to survive Brisbane humidity. 

Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?

My music is a reflection of things I listen to and that inspire me, including hip-hop, jazz, RnB and neo soul. I feel like I'm constantly developing my sound and I do that through collaborating in the studio and just trying new things.

What's your greatest source of inspiration for making music?

I get inspiration from everything including a sentence someone might say, to hearing one of my favourite songs that I haven't heard in a while. Another great source of inspiration are my personal thoughts, feelings, things happening in my life and those close around me.

What can punters expect from a Kaiit live show?

What people can expect from my live shows are getting to know me and my playful personality, listening to a whole set of unreleased music and just meeting and relating to others and my music.

What's the best advice you've been given and who was it from?

The best advice I have been given is to not expect anything from anyone and to stop being fixated on how people view me (especially people I don't know) and these are all things I had to learn for myself.

What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?

The 'Nut Bush' is Australian right? Haha. I loved The Sapphires movie where Jessica Mauboy kills the cover of 'I'll take you there'. It's definitely a feel good number!

What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?

Shannon Noll - 'What About Me'.

You're the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?

Diafrix - 'Before You Go'.

What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?

The last gig I went to was Koda at The Workers Club. It was great to see people my age doing their thing and really enjoying themselves. Their songs have inspired me to start writing more music.

Tell us about the bands or people in the Melbourne music community that inspire you.

I'm inspired by many people and things. This includes one of my mentors MoMo, and Mzrizk who has been so supportive of me. I'm also inspired by young people pursuing what they love!

What are your plans for 2017?

My plans for 2017 are to release more music, powerful visuals and a lot more gigs!!!
 

Tell us about your music - how did you develop your sound?

We make Lo-Fi Pop music influenced by the sounds of the 80's and 90's. Our songs juxtapose fuzzy rhythms with more clean, dreamy melodies to create upbeat, intelligent pop music. We make both fast and loud songs as well as slower introspective tracks, and are keen to establish that any two Braves songs can, and often do, sound very different from each other. Our sound was developed by trying to replicate the qualities and styles of artists we admire, particularly current artists in American music scene. Because we draw from relatively niche genres and bands, a lot of our writing and production process involves trial and error, improvisation and iteration.

What’s a Braves live show like?

Our live show is definitely more loud and brash than our recordings. We tend to distill our songs into their most core ideas and sounds for live performances to give the most entertaining performance. A good example is a song like Saw You, that, while in the recording is quite mellow, becomes much more visceral in a live context. We do a great deal of swapping around and role reversal too, in one song one of us will be playing lead guitar, in another, bass. The drummer even swaps to guitar and vocals in a particular cover we play. Everyone usually sings at least once as well. We definitely want our recordings and live performances to be two separate, but complimentary beasts.

Tell us about the bands, producers and people in the Australian music community that inspire you?

We're particularly inspired by artists like Bored Nothing. Fergus created a pretty uncompromising vision for his songs that didn't necessarily fit the mould of what is popular in Australia right now, and through the strength of his songwriting and ambition, received national recognition. We feel that there are a lot of parallels that can be drawn between Bored Nothing and Braves.

What are you guys doing when you’re not playing in Braves?

Alex is a Graphic Designer who has worked with bands like Rainy Day Women, and created their Sleigh Bed EP cover and initial tour posters. Sean is in the last year of his Urban & Regional Planning degree. He also has a very catchy side project called Sunny. Kieran is a photographer who also studied Graphic Design. Liam is a successful painter, and studied Illustration at university. So you'd think someone, anyone, in Perth would want to give us a job, but you'd be wrong.

What’s coming up for you in 2013?

2013 will see us developing and executing our live show as often as we can, as well as releasing at least another EP. We have plenty of material lying about, so it's just a matter of getting it in a state worthy of releasing.

Australian music is…?

The Australian music scene is a unique place for artists to occupy, and can be one of the best in the world if you know how to market yourself, but at other times it can feel very segregated from the rest of the world. There's gold here if you know where to dig.

Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?

I develop my sound through long hours and dedication to the studio and creating a sound with James Angus. I went through all the stages of becoming an artist, from a rapper's rapper, to a flex rapper and to an emotional rapper and now I've reached the stage where I know I can rap and I'm creating a vibe. To be honest, I just stopped trying so hard. 

What's your greatest source of inspiration for making music?

Pain, love, and emotions. I'm also inspired by good times with people I love and the fact I can do this and not be paid a cent and still be happy doing it.

What can punters expect from a Carmouflage Rose live show?

Hype! It's totally a hype thing. We always have a high energy type vibe and we gradually move into the more heartfelt songs while we cool down. You've got to be ready to express!

What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?

The best advice I was given was from my brother Wayne. I used to send him my music all the time and he never liked it, until one day he called me and asked me how I was making music that sounded American because I lived in Australia and was born in Zimbabwe. It didn't make sense to him. So he told me I should go back to my roots and mix it with Australian culture and that's how we made my track, 'Late Nights'. 

What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?

'Late Nights'. Haha. Or UV boi and his track 'Feel Love' for sure and would have to make a cocktail of tracks that includes tracks by Peking Duk, Spenda C, Joyride, Tkay Maidza and of course, Allday. 

What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?

When it comes to Australian music, I usually listen to my inner circle like Brisbane rapper I AM D and his tracks 'Acceptance Speech' and 'Lessons'. I feel like he really touches some heartfelt emotions I can relate to. So does Gallus with 'Lionheart'. But if I had to choose an international song it would be Whitney Houston with 'I Have Nothing', Luther Vandross with 'Dance With My Father' or James Blunt with 'Goodbye My Lover.

You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?

I'm gonna be hella bias here and say 'Late Nights' because it really gets the vibe naughty haha. But if it's not 'Late Nights' it has to be Flumes remix of 'HyperParadise' by Hermitude.

What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?

I saw Kilter and Feki at the Triffid. It was pretty amazing. I love the way they do live shows. The Sonics were also colourful.

Tell us about the bands or people in the Brisbane music community that inspire you?

Midas.Gold for sure. His passion, drive and how he approaches things wholeheartedly amazes me. Gill Bates as well. He was the first to do it like nationally. He's such a creative person when it comes to anything videos, music, drawing and art. He has ideas that can change the world for sure. James Angus also inspires me because he's the guy that brought my voice to your device. His ear for music is amazing and unmatched. His drive and how fast he produces his music is crazy. He's beyond skilled and the pioneer with in the entire Brisbane music community. He's also behind every instrumental coming out of this city right now.

What are your plans for 2017?

I've got heaps of shows coming up, so my plan is to meet a lot of new people at the shows and connect with everyone nationally. There is always more music coming. I've been waiting for this moment my whole life and I'm not slowing down anytime soon. I've also got an EP in the works so look out for that!

Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?

One thing I can definitely say about my music is that it will never stop developing! I use my music as a form of expression and what/how I feel like expressing myself boils down to what I’m experiencing at the time. I guess my sound could be summed up as a reaction to whatever I’m observing/going through at the time.

What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
This is going to sound corny but I really believe you can find inspiration in everything and anything. I think emotions (belonging to me or those around me) are always a reliable, accessible, and powerful source of inspiration for me but I don’t think I could even call that my “greatest” source of inspiration. There are just too many options!

What can punters expect from an imbi the girl live show?
Punters can expect a good groove, a lot of love, probably a reminder to stay hydrated at some point and some powerful, musical magic. If they’re willing to open their hearts, punters can expect to leave my set full of warmth and wholesome good vibes (or at least those are my intentions). 

What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?

The best advice I’ve been given is to live through love and to remember that everything is temporary. Those wise words came less from a specific person and more from gathered experiences and a variety of different interactions. I guess you could say the universe gave me that advice. 

What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?

'OG Luv Kush pt.2’ by Kaiit. It’s not too cheerful/upbeat so they can keep crying and processing while they listen but it’s also so undeniably groovy I feel like they wouldn’t be able to hold back a cheeky boogie. Also just an empowering track, and there’s nothing like being reminded of your power and resilience in those teary moments.

What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?

'Katie' by Missy Higgins. I don’t reckon I need to explain this one. Once you listen to it, you’ll get it.

You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?

'Clap Clap’ by Miss Blanks. Bless this queen!!! She effortlessly slays every track but this one especially. It’s a timeless, dirty, d-floor banger and if you don’t know, you should. 

What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?

I saw Habits at their ‘Salty’ EP launch and holy HECK it was phenomenal. Could not recommend their tunes and their shows highly enough. These artists are so unapologetically themselves, they are so heckin’ unique and shameless. They push all the boundaries and it’s seriously inspiring.

Tell us about the bands or people in the Sydney music community that inspire you.

I find queer people and people of colour (POC) in Sydney's music community very inspiring. I mean, I’m inspired by them in every community and the music scene is definitely not an exception. It takes a lot of courage and drive to be visible as a POC and queer person with racism, homophobia and transphobia still making up the foundations of our society creating more challenges for individuals from marginalised groups especially in an industry like the music industry where artists rely on people liking their persona as much as their music. Trying to excel in a creative field where your success is dependent on engagement from an audience socialised to not value your identity or the messages you are trying to send is no easy task. Lucky for us, there are more proud and powerful POC/queers gaining recognition in the mainstream than ever before and even though we have a very long way to go, the times are most def changing.

What are your plans for 2018?
My plan is to keep on keeping’ on! I will continue to do my very best to spread love and wholesome vibes through banging’ creative endeavours and maybe also drop an EP later this year but you’ll have to wait and see. 

Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?

My music is built on a culturally diverse soundscape rooted in 3 different countries. I’ve lived through a lot of experiences and I try to show that through my music. I’m a ‘Sonic Activist’ who is trying to move the world forward and music is my vehicle to do so. Sonic

What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?

Bringing different elements of culture together and making it accessible to the people. I like to show my audience experiences they haven’t seen or heard before. You don’t have to travel to take a sonic vacation.

What can punters expect from a DyspOra live show?
My LIVE show is built on storytelling and energy. Taking the crowd on a journey similar to the one we’re all living, up & down but always moving forward. When I get on the stage I want the audience to experience various different emotions and then ultimately decide which ones they will take home with them. I make sure they always leave with something in the end.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?

"What is real will always prosper" and, "advice is like a drug, take it but never get dependent on it".

What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
TAKU wit 'Love Again' ft. Sango & JSMN.

What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
Paul Kelly with 'From Little Things'.

You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
Hilltop Hoods with 'CHASE THAT FEELING'.

What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?

We threw a festival with 30 + local artists and really brought the city together. We can’t move the culture forward alone so it was a really important moment for all the artists to meet each other, leading to collaborations and creative alliances that will definitely help build the city’s identity. 

Tell us about the bands or people in the Adelaide music community that inspire you.

I’m officially rebranding Adelaide the city of verses cos ADL has a lot of incredible artists coming up. I’ve been a massive fan of a lot of the guys from Playback 808 like ELK, NeSs, Ajak and the queen Elsy who features on my new record. Theres a band called Pinkish Blu who recently released this amazing song called lovely. I’ve also been vibing to tunes by Argus and the Liar, RURU, J Milla, Possie, Xander Jame$, Tony Ward, a spoken word artist called Manal Younos, Oc3an eyes, Vuyokazi, Aquade, Heaps Good Friends and TOWNS.   

What are your plans for 2018?

No more dreams. Time to become the change I want to see in the world.

Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?

Coming from different musical backgrounds (pop/soul/jazz vs hip-hop/electronic/hardcore) but with similar ambition, we developed our sound through a lot of trial and error over a cask of wine.

What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?

People, mates, lovers, dickheads.

What can punters expect from a Fortunes live show?

Lots of dancing (dirty dancing), hot people, personal stories.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?

Protect your heart, turn it into art. Thanks Gemma.

What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?

Vanessa Amorosi - Absolutely Everybody

What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?

Powderfinger - My Happiness

You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?

Madison Avenue - Don't Call Me Baby

What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?

The Tarantinos at Luwow. It was wild, a chick got her *** out.

Tell us about the bands or people in the Melbourne music community that inspire you.

Hiatus Kaiyote - Nai Palm is explosive.

The Harpoons - Rebecca's on some high-pitched Australian Amy Winehouse level.

What are your plans for 2015?

We're looking at jumping on a couple of tours and playing some festival spots which is gonna be sweet. We’ve almost finished writing EP#2, so aiming to get that out mid-year.

Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?

We just wanted to make music that we enjoyed listening to, and so it slowly developed through combinations of influences, as well as many hours of trial and error and the process of elimination... Ideas usually develop within the computer, starting with beats and production, then live instruments and vocals. We then have the challenge of pulling them off in a live situation. 

What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?

The biggest inspiration for us is hearing new music, because we often forget that there's an infinite pool of ideas to be manifested. This gets our creative minds juicing. 

What can punters expect from a TORA live show?

We get pretty into it when were on stage, we don't take ourselves too seriously, so there's usually a bit of goofy dancing and silly comments throughout the set. We've been told that the songs sound more energetic and upbeat when we play live. Most people don't realise, but we have 3 vocalists and we play the songs with real instruments.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?

 'Don't burn your bridges.' - Dave

What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?

Bee Gee's - Stayin' Alive, accompanied by flare pants and living room choreography.

What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?

 Vancouver sleep clinic - Collapse. Hear it and weep. :'(

You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?

"Dat Schlump Funk" by Silentjay.

What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?

Our local community garden burnt down a little while ago, and they put on a fundraiser to rebuild it. We played a little set to contribute. It was super cute.

Tell us about the bands or people in the Byron Bay music community that inspire you.

Our close friends Gabe and Cecilia are musical geniuses, and inspire us through their crafty originality. 
Potato Potato never cease to amaze us either, and they're always keen to jam. 

What are your plans for TORA in 2014?

We've got some exciting shenanigans planned for the rest of the year, now including our first ever show at Splendour in the Grass.

We just released "Eat the Sun" the first single from our new EP which will be out later in the year.

We are also super stoked to be going on tour with Miami Horror in september, which will include shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra.

Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?

Right now, I’m in this cool space of making heavy yet fun tracks that you can party to. I really enjoy bass, claps and cool synths, I try and find the best sounds that can convey the energy of the track I’m writing.

What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?

I’d say my mama, the amazing powerful women around me, my experiences, and the 90’s queens of Hip Hop.

What can punters expect from a Miss Blanks live show?

Quite an unforgettable visceral experience. There’s a lot of fun, dancing, staunchness, and R-rated content - be warned! 

What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?

“Don’t let him hit it or sleep over on the first date” - Mama 

What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?

Christine Anu - My Island Home

What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?

Young In Love - Thelma Plum (my beautiful sis, everyone look her up)

You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?

Clap Clap - Miss Blanks (obviously)

What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?

Bigsound. It was great, a lot of fun to perform and see some incredible Australian acts.

Tell us about the bands or people in the Brisbane music community that inspire you.

Hands down, the women and NB folk in music inspire me. Everyone needs to know of:

- Aywin

- Jesswar

- G Elenil

- Kaylah Truth

- May Lyn

- Tiana Khasi

- Captain Dreamboat

- Sullivan Patten

- DJ Dameila

- DJ Baby Mama

- DJ Kritty

- Trina Massey

What are your plans for the rest of 2017?

The remainder of 2017 is pretty full with new music, shows, videos, exciting announcements - we’re ending the year and starting the new one with a bang!