Spring has almost sprung and with all these flowers in bloom there’s no better time to tune into ISOL-AID #58. Take a break from the veggie patch and turn your attention to the abundant homegrown talent streaming straight to your screens on Wednesday August 25. From seedlings to metres tall trees this week is a mix of some of Australia’s best up-and-coming hip-hop acts and fan-favourite indie artists, truly something for everyone!
Keeping the good times rolling, ISOL-AID have teamed up with 99DESIGNS BY VISTAPRINT to offer creative and financial support to emerging homegrown acts. Nominations for Isol-Aid Homegrown have now closed with a staggering total of 975 nominations received. Thank you SO MUCH for nominating yourselves, your friends & your favourite artists and be sure to stay tuned for the fortnightly harvest of freshly-picked talent, sprouting from your screens in the weeks to come.
Kicking off this week’s ISOL-AID is none other than MANSIONAIR. Crafting anthemic and all encompassing indie tracks the Grammy nominated band have just released rousing new single ‘More’ off their soon to be released album. Through slots at Coachella, Splendour In The Grass and a whole Carly Rae Jepsen tour, Mansionair have drawn audiences in time and time again.
YOURBOYMARS is at the forefront of the young new-wave hip-hop scene bringing a clean mixture of Afro-beats, trap, soul and RnB. At only 19 years of age the African Australian singer, rapper and songwriter has cemented himself as one to watch. With his melodic chops setting him apart, he’s been steadily releasing tracks since 2020 and it’s clear he’s already on the path to take over Australia’s hip-hop scene.
Rounding out the night is Perth based band DULCIE. Made up of four childhood friends Dulcie abounds in sweet indie-pop music brimming with lush harmonies and opulent textures. Swapping lead vocal duties as they please their stirring lyrics cut straight to the bone and will have you hanging onto every word. They’ve supported everyone from G Flip to Spacey Jane and have enchanted audiences across Laneway and Groovin the Moo. This Wednesday sees them bringing their effortlessly cool energy to us all.
The powerful ballad explores the concept of a chosen family through a queer lens – highlighting the many members of the LGBTQ+ community who have been ostracized by their family, friends or community after coming out, to find love and comfort in their new ‘chosen’ family.
Speaking on the track and Elton’s involvement, Rina says: “It was such a joy and honour to rework Chosen Family with the legendary Elton John. The song means so much to both of us, and recording it together was such a special experience I will never forget. I got shivers when I heard his voice through the monitor and became emotional when he added the piano parts. Elton has been such a huge supporter from before the album, and when we finally met to record this song we clicked from the get go. I hope people can hear the magic!”
Elton says, “When I was sent ‘Comme Des Garçons’ for my Rocket Hour show, I stopped in my tracks and thought ‘who is this?’ It just blew me away from the first listen. We’ve since become friends, and it’s such a huge honour and a genuine thrill to be asked to duet with Rina. She is just an extraordinary talent. Rina doesn’t just represent the cross-cultural mix of inspiration from which the best music always thrives, but a generation who have grown up with the internet and the entire history of music at their fingertips and mix together whatever they please with real love and understanding, unconstrained by old ideas of genre or boundary. To my mind, she’s the brightest embodiment of this: a brilliant, confidence-oozing, endlessly fascinating songwriter and performer.”
Last year saw the release of Rina Sawayama’s debut album SAWAYAMA and deluxe version which featured production from the likes of Clarence Clarity (Exec producer along with Rina) and co-write from Nicole Morier (Britney Spears) and Kyle Shearer (Carly Rae Jepsen).
Spin Magazine