BIGSOUND 2025 First Speaker Lineup Announced, Featuring Global Music Powerhouses and A&R Legend Darcus Beese
Australia’s leading music industry event, BIGSOUND, has unveiled its highly anticipated first conference announcement for 2025, spotlighting a stellar lineup of international buyers, speakers and tastemakers headed to Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley from September 2–5.
This year’s BIGSOUND promises to supercharge Australia’s music export potential, with a renewed focus on real, industry-shaping connections. Leading the charge is legendary A&R executive Darcus Beese OBE, best known for signing Amy Winehouse and Sabrina Carpenter. Ahead of his keynote appearance, Beese shared: “The industry seems to be resetting itself… but music still matters.”
Joining Beese are representatives from CAA, Wasserman, Believe, Secretly Group, Ground Control Touring, Eat Your Own Ears, and Festival Republic — all actively scouting Australian talent. This powerhouse delegation reinforces BIGSOUND’s status as the Southern Hemisphere’s premier music conference and showcase festival.
READ MORE: Who Can Still Afford to Tour Australia?
New BIGSOUND conference programmers Cathy Oates and Niriko McLure are steering this year’s program with two key goals: expand global opportunities for local artists and confront the challenges reshaping the Australian music landscape.
QMusic and BIGSOUND CEO Kris Stewart said, “BIGSOUND is about creating a connection that counts — whether onstage or over coffee.”
With more speakers and showcasing artists still to come, BIGSOUND 2025 is shaping up to be an unmissable industry event for artists, managers, and anyone serious about the future of Australian music.
EARLYBIRD ALL-ACCESS DELEGATE PASSES ON SALE FRIDAY 16 MAY, 9AM
This is your ticket to access the full conference, three-nights of showcase events, networking events, parties and workshops. Festival-only tickets will go on sale in June.
Early Bird Offer
General: $659 / QMusic Members: $559 / Students $399
For more information for BIGSOUND 2025 visit
BIGSOUND 2025
2 – 5 September Fortitude Valley Brisbane, QLD
BIGSOUND 2025 SPEAKERS & BUYERS – FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT:
Adam Ryan – The Great Escape (UK)
Anne Booty – SixtyFour Music (UK)
Ariana Morgenstern – KCRW (USA)
Boaz Saidman – Wasserman (USA)
Boyan Pinter – Believe (BGR)
Calhoun Rawlings – Creative Artists Agency (USA)
Camille Augarde – Third Man Records (UK)
Darcus Beese – Darco Artist Partnerships (UK)
Deb Grant – BBC Radio 6 (UK)
Eve Thomas – Communion ONE (UK)
Jana Recmanikova – Festival Republic (UK)
Josh Stern – Ground Control Touring (USA)
Lau Frías – Secretly Group (USA)
Lucy Pitkethly – Eat Your Own Ears (UK)
Mario Stresow – FKP Scorpio (GER)
Rachel Cragg – Nettwerk Music Group (CAN)
Rachel Lloyd – AEG Presents / Country to Country / C2C Festival (UK)
Sean Goulding – One Fiinix Live (UK)
