SXSW Sydney 2025 Expands With Huge New Artist and Speaker Lineup

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Australia’s most forward-thinking cultural festival, SXSW Sydney®, has unveiled a massive wave of new additions for its 2025 Music Festival and Conference program, with 62 new international and local music acts, a powerful speaker lineup, and the first taste of cutting-edge music conference sessions. Returning to Eora/Sydney from 13–19 October 2025, SXSW Sydney is shaping up to be the premier destination for music discovery and industry networking in the Asia-Pacific.

The latest music showcase additions span genres and geographies, with global names like Indian alt-pop powerhouse Rashmeet Kaur, US electronic producer Vandelux, Indonesian viral duo Tenxi & Jemsii, and Filipino neo-soul artist August Wahh leading the charge. They’ll be joined by exciting Australian talent including Brisbane dream-rock outfit blue diner, Melbourne’s indie-folk darling Holly Hebe, rising Korean-Australian psych-pop artist Munan, and Sydney’s genre-blending Yasmina Sadiki.

On the industry side, the speaker lineup has grown with influential figures from across the globe including Rachel So (Goldenvoice – Coachella/Stagecoach), James Cheney (Reservoir), Bryan Duquette (Outsidelands), Stacy Nam (Warner Music Korea) and Chantelle Georgiou (Amazon Music ANZ), solidifying SXSW Sydney’s status as a music industry nexus for the Asia-Pacific region.

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Music conference sessions will tackle major topics shaping the industry today, including AI’s impact on music creation, strategies to reach global superfans, and how to break artists beyond borders. Sessions like “From Streams to Stages”, “Building Global Superfans”, and “Next-Gen AI Music Creation Workshop” are designed to equip artists and professionals with the tools to thrive in today’s fast-changing music landscape.

SXSW Sydney Head of Music Claire Collins says: “The calibre of artists and speakers joining SXSW Sydney this year is world-class. It’s a place where deals are made, artists are discovered, and the future of the music industry is shaped.”

This exciting announcement builds on a growing lineup featuring artists from Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the UK, and across Australia, alongside previously announced names like Cardinals (Ireland), Jamaica Moana, and Suichu Spica (Japan).

With more announcements to come and passes on sale now, SXSW Sydney 2025 is on track to be a global celebration of music, innovation, and creative exchange.

View the full lineup and secure your pass: sxswsydney.com/music-showcase

SXSW Sydney 2025 runs 13–19 October across venues in Sydney, on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation.

Music Speaker Lineup:

• Bryan Duquette (Co-Founder, Outsidelands and Another Planet), US
• Theo Seffusatti (Director of Warp Publishing / Founder of Heard & Seen), NZ
• James Cheney (VP Creative, Reservoir), US
• Rachel So (Festival Manager, Goldenvoice – Coachella and Stagecoach), US
• Royden Bangara (Chief Business Officer, Skillbox), IND
• Chris Fraser (Head of A&R, Partisan), UK
• Dani Deahl (Head of Communications & Creator Insights, BandLab), US 
• Stacy Nam (Director of Domestic Marketing, Warner Music Korea), KR
• Chantelle Georgiou (Head of Label Relations and Marketing ANZ, Amazon Music), AUS

Joining already announced:

• Alex Berenson (Senior Director of A&R, All Flowers), USA
• Andrew Batey (Founder & Co-CEO, Beatdapp), USA
• Brian Hobbs (VP of Music Festival, SXSW), USA
• Daphne Berry (Podcast Host, Airing Your Dirty Laundry), AUS
• Hallie Anderson (Co-Founder, Rareform Agency), USA
• Jashima Wadehra (Founder, Ode), USA
• Jen Malone (Music Supervisor, Black & White Music), USA
• John Watson (President, John Watson Management / Eleven Music), AUS
• Jono Harrison (Music Industry Consultant), AUS
• Justin Sweeting (Co-Founder & Music Director, Clockenflap Festival), Hong Kong
• Kartini Ludwig (Founder, Koup Music), AUS
• Lucy Atkinson (Booking Agent, ATC), UK
• Macarena González (Live Talent Coordinator, Apodaca Group / Pal Norte Festival), Mexico
• Dr Marcus Collins (Culture Academic and #1 Selling Author), USA
• Mardi Caught (Head, The Annex), AUS
• Meng Ru Kuok (Group CEO & Founder, Caldecott Music Group), Singapore
• Patrick Daniel (Project Manager, Reeperbahn), Germany
• Priya Dewan (Founder & CEO, GigLifePro), Singapore
• Roochay Shukla (Head of Creative Marketing India and South Asia, Believe), India
• Sally Dunstone (Partner and Agent, Primary Talent), UK

Conference Session Highlights include: 

• AI is Here to Stay, So How Do Artists Stay Ahead?
• Overcoming Procrastination: A Workshop for Creatives
• From Streams to Stages: Breaking Artists into Global Markets
• How To Crack the Code of Creator-Led Music Marketing
• Building Global Superfans: How Artists Can Use Direct-To-Fan Engagement To Break Into New Global Markets
• Breaking out of your Geobubble
• Next-Gen AI Music Creation Workshop