BIGSOUND, now in its 23rd year, is part conference, part live music takeover, and all about shaping the future of sound.
By day, the brightest minds in music and culture pack out venues to dissect the big issues, and this year’s program is stacked.
From Briggs celebrating 10 years of Bad Apples, to Barkaa navigating fame, Blur’s Dave Rowntree reliving Britpop glory, and Tash Sultana reflecting on a decade of global domination.
Throw in international heavyweights like Darcus Beese and digital deep-dives with Spotify and TikTok, and you’ve got a program that proves BIGSOUND is still the place where the industry comes to listen, learn and launch.
Here are the sessions to wrap your ears around in 2025.
First Word: One Brilliant Thing
Tue 2 Sept, 1PM – Fortitude Music Hall
BIGSOUND kicks off with a heavyweight roundtable. Josh Simons (Vinyl Group), Jaddan Comerford (UNIFIED), Annabelle Herd (ARIA), Dan Rosen (Warner Music), and Neil Griffiths (Rolling Stone) unpack where the business is headed. Expect blunt truths, bold predictions and a reality check for the streaming era.
Writing Loud, Writing Blak
Tue 2 Sept, 2:15PM – The Sound Garden
Awesome Black’s Petroglyph crew lead a raw conversation on critiquing First Nations music. Blak voices reclaim the narrative, challenging how media frames culture while carving space for honesty, nuance and future storytellers. Essential listening.
Barkaa: Leave Britney Alone
Wed 3 Sept, 2:15PM – The Outpost
From her breakout EP to selling out the Opera House, Barkaa has fast-tracked into hip hop royalty. This panel sees the Malyangapa, Barkindji MC tackle the weight of notoriety and what it means to build a career on her own terms.
Yarning Strong: Parenthood in the Industry
Tue 2 Sept, 3:30PM – The Sound Garden
The juggle is real. Artists Barkaa, Flewnt, and industry leaders Kelly Hellmrich and Fred Leone get brutally honest about raising kids in an unpredictable business. Expect candour, survival strategies and a reminder that you don’t have to pass trauma down with the mic.
Country Roads: How Country is Shaping Music Globally
Wed 3 Sept, 10:30AM – The Outpost
CMA’s Meredith Goucher and ABC’s Natalie Waller zoom out on how country music has become a global force, from Nashville to Tamworth to Berlin. Forget clichés: this is about crossover power and the genre’s evolving cultural reach.
Bad Apples: Briggs in Conversation with Kobie Dee
Wed 3 Sept, 9:45AM – The Outpost
Ten years of Bad Apples has cemented Briggs as a cultural titan. In this sit-down with Kobie Dee, expect sharp wit, truth bombs, and a celebration of Indigenous voices rewriting the rulebook.
Rebel With a Cause: Darcus Beese OBE
Wed 3 Sept, 1:30PM – The Sound Garden
From Island Records UK to the US, Beese smashed glass ceilings to become the first Black Brit to helm a major label. His story is one of grit, activism and reshaping music history from within the system.
In Conversation with Blur’s Dave Rowntree
Wed 3 Sept, 3:30PM – The Fortitude Music Hall
Britpop nostalgia meets interstellar curiosity. Blur’s drummer-turned-politician-turned-soundtrack composer talks about Wembley, Mars missions, and his photo memoir No One You Know. A proper legend moment.
Selling Tickets or Shaping Culture?
Wed 3 Sept, 3:15PM – The Precinct
What’s a festival really for? Scrabble PR’s Gabe Cramb, Laneway’s Jessie Parker, Reading & Leeds’ Jana, Strawberry Fields’ Vicky Keeler and accessibility advocate Dina Bassile trade notes on commerce vs community. Expect sparks.
Creating With Constraints
Wed 3 Sept, 2:15PM – Summa House
TikTok, storytelling, film, and the hustle of emerging artists collide as Alison Bremner, Larissa, Vanilla Tupu and Peter Sabbagh share hacks for making creativity thrive even when resources don’t. DIY wisdom guaranteed.
Spotify for Artists: Meet the Local Team
Wed 3 Sept, 10:30AM – Brewdog Lower Level
Curious about who curates your playlists? Spotify’s AUNZ crew (Steph Liong, Joe Khan, Leah Harris, Ben Watts and more) break down discovery, partnerships and what makes a track playlist-ready.
The Light Streams In – Illuminating Mallrat’s Creative Process
Thu 4th Sept, 10:30AM – 11:15AM
Mallrat has been reshaping Australian pop since her debut, clocking over half a billion streams, ARIA Platinum singles and a #1 album. She’s toured with Post Malone and Maggie Rogers, collaborated with Azealia Banks and BENEE, and hit The Late Late Show with James Corden. With global tours and major festival slots behind her, this session pulls back the curtain on the songwriting and production that power her rise.
Return to the Roots: Tash Sultana
Thu 4 Sept, 11:45AM – Fortitude Music Hall
A decade on from Jungle, Tash Sultana reflects on global tours, billions of streams, ARIA wins, and founding Lonely Lands Agency. With Bridget Hustwaite steering the chat, expect a deep dive into craft, chaos and what’s next.
10 Years of NLV Records with Nina Las Vegas
Thu 4 Sept, 11:45AM – The Precinct
From underground club anthems to shaping the sound of tomorrow, Nina Las Vegas celebrates a decade of her label NLV. Expect candid reflections on surviving the indie grind and what the next decade looks like for forward-thinking club culture.
TikTok for Artists: Masterclass
Thu 4 Sept, 2:00PM – Summa House
Like it or not, TikTok rules music discovery. Ollie Wards and team lay out the platform’s latest artist tools, best practice for content, and how to harness virality without selling your soul.
That’s BIGSOUND 2025: future-facing, fearless, and as vital as ever.
