This year, Johnnie Walker Black Ruby are on a mission at SXSW Sydney: they’re getting behind the future of music.
SXSW Sydney 2025 is almost here, and the latest lineup drop is stacked: Whitney, Ninajirachi, Le Boom, Angela Ken, Maki, Picture This, and more across genres. So, if you’re not circling half a dozen names to see already, you’re not looking hard enough.
Johnnie Walker Black Ruby is on board too, bringing a little sparkle to the city with Black Ruby Blackberry & Soda – lush whisky, a splash of blackberry, a dash of elderflower, and a soda lift: easy, breezy, and damn tasty.
Beyond the pour, they’re backing the artists, with the Walk to Austin Award, which is set to send one standout local act to SXSW Austin 2026, the same stage that’s launched everyone from Dua Lipa to Megan Thee Stallion.
Here’s a taste of the lineup:
Jamaica Moana
Everything about Jamaica Moana screams presence; her bars, her visuals, her atmosphere. Sweet, yes, but don’t mistake it for soft. Offstage, Moana is also a creative force in Vogue and ballroom communities, advocating for queer visibility across Australia.
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Drifting Clouds
Their sound floats between synth-pop, rock, country, ambient, yet they’re still grounded. And with a debut that blew up on triple j and landed them a NIMAs feature, Drifting Clouds is already something special.
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2charm
You hear them once and can’t stop thinking about them, not just because they’re catchy, but because they’re different, staying with you long after the set ends.
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Sonic Reducer
Their sophomore EP, SQUEEZE, is a high-voltage burst of fury and vulnerability, channeling punk’s chaos into something urgent, defiant, and unforgettable.
Perfect for those who feel unheard and aren’t afraid to push back.
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Xiao Xiao
Their genre-hopping sound, equal parts dream pop, hip hop, punk, is the musical equivalent of that unexpected soda fizz hitting the back of your throat.
It catches you, disorients you, then sets the night spinning in the best way.
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Through the Walk to Austin Award, one standout artist will win a performance slot at SXSW Austin 2026.
And that’s always been the Johnnie Walker way. Since 1820, Johnnie Walker has been about progress, from pioneering blended whiskies to strutting a symbol of momentum across the globe.
From the 14-18 October, the Johnnie Walker Black Ruby House at UTS Underground will be the place to park yourself – five nights of live sets, whisky spritzes, and one life-changing opportunity for an emerging artist.
The Black Ruby House at UTS Underground will be the place to park yourself – five nights of live sets, whisky spritzes, and one life-changing opportunity for an emerging artist.
SXSW Sydney 2025 is shaping up to be huge. Music discovery, whisky discovery, and a one-way ticket from Sydney to Austin. We’ve got our sights set on Sonic Reducer and Xiao Xiao, our cans in hand, and our ears wide open.
Black Ruby is available now at Dan Murphy’s and BWS
