These five WA acts are set to make big waves in 2025

In WA we do a few things very, very well: Dig stuff out of the ground, say “it’s a dry heat”, and produce world-class bands and musicians. Here are five West Aussie acts set to do big things in the coming year.

The Kickons

When you are an artist it can be difficult to know what is going to connect with an audience.

Sometimes a certain song hits a nerve or a performance can find a legion of new fans. For The Kickons, it was a throwaway video of an early jam session.

“We opened up a TikTok account and just started posting videos of us being idiots, having fun, just good vibes,” The Kickons lead vocalist Matthias Gault explains. “And then one of our videos, er, did pretty good.”

“Pretty good,” in this case is just a smidge over 7 million views on the social media platform. And this is no highly produced clip. It’s a shaky camera take of the opening lines of the band playing a cover of the 2014 hit Shut Up And Dance from US band Walk the Moon. Gault puts the viral nature of the clip down to nostalgia for the original song. But that might be a little too simplistic, Gault is a natural frontman, and even slumped on a living room couch wearing an old hoodie, there is a charisma — not to mention THAT voice. It seems little wonder on the band’s first meeting with Gault, it seemed like indie pop kismet.

The Kickons initially formed in high school with a female singer. When she left the group they hunted around for a replacement, finding Gault on Instagram and asking him to come in and audition.

“I did an audition and we wrote a song in the first hour in the first session and we all looked at each other and were like ‘yeah this is it,’ and we’ve never looked back,” Gault says.

“It felt too good to be true. We just clicked, and I don’t have better friends.”

That was a little over a year ago. The band threw themselves into the live music scene — Gault estimates they played 36 shows last year alone — and writing original songs.

“We just had to get comfortable on stage and comfortable working with each other and for us the best way to do that was to play as much as possible,” Gault says.

And when they weren’t on stage they were writing and recording songs. They released an impressive three singles last year, and one, Bring Me Down Slow, in January.

Gault namechecks everyone from The Killers to the Beatles to Supertramp as influences, “The boys are more along the lines of 2000s and good rock, so that sort of combines into a pop furnace into what we call The Kickons,” he says.

Being named the 2024 winners of the RAC Arena’s Limelight prize was another feather in the cap for the band. The prize comes with a support package including a radio campaign, equipment, studio time and funds to make a music video for Bring Me Down Slow.

Gault says 2025 is shaping up to be even bigger for the band as they dial up their live shows and continue to pump out new music.

“We want the band to grow as much as possible,” Gault says. “We want to take this to the moon.”

Songs to stream: A Little Bit More, In the Cold, Bring Me Down Slow

Kaypes

Kayps is busy. Two days before he gets on the phone for a chat he has opened for Denzel Curry’s Perth show. And two days after we chat he’s jumping on a plane to the US to perform at mega music industry showcase event, SXSW.

“We’re doing three live showcases, and this will be the first time performing live to an international audience so very, very excited about that,” Kayps says.

On his return he will be straight back in the studio putting the final touches on his first EP set for release later this year.

So expect to hear a lot more about Kayps in 2025, as the buzz that has been building around this hip hop artist reaches fever pitch.

Born in Broome, Kayps’ (it’s pronounced “capes” if you’re wondering) real name is Kurrungaya Bieundurry. He is a Walmatjarri and Bunuba man, now based in Perth.

Growing up, he started to get into hip hop by listening to his parent’s Wu-Tang Clan and OutKast CDs, but says he is inspired musically by a wide range of artists.

“I think for all creatives you are all influenced by all the media and art you consume. I was definitely taking inspiration from Kendrick Lamar, Denzel Curry, J Cole, that big, powerful jazzy production but mixed with that underlying aggression. And I guess that’s what I was trying to emulate when I was first starting out. It took me a few years to find my own voice, my own sound.

“I think being Indigenous Australian there is so much culture there that hasn’t been as intertwined with hip hop as much, especially in WA so I think there is a lot of opportunity for influence from culture.”

Kayps says the Perth hip hop scene is a strong community and is getting stronger.

“We’re in an era when everyone is learning how to make beats and write their own music in their bedroom so there is more and more opportunities every week for local artists to showcase what they’ve been making and live performance as well. I love it, I love the community here.”

Songs to stream: Buon Giorno, MIMOSA!

Ghost Care

When our favourite bands break up, hire new members or announce a hiatus, our first reaction is often disappointment.

But what both fans and core members of Perth-based indie trio Ghost Care have learnt is that music is a business. People come and go, and it’s not always a bad thing.

Performing as a three-piece for five years, vocalist and guitarist Beau Torrance, drummer Luke Del Fante, and bassist and vocalist Tanaya Harper had entrenched themselves in Australia’s touring scene.

However, in late 2024, it became apparent to Harper that the business side of touring had overshadowed her joy in creating, and she reluctantly chose to depart.

“It was a really tough decision on Tanaya’s end,“ Torrance says. “She was such a big part of the band, and it’s been such a big part of her life for so long. She really grieved the process.”

Left to pick up the pieces, Torrance says he and Del Fante were faced with two very real fears.

One: “Are we going to lose so much momentum that it’s too hard to come back?”

And two: “Are we going to gel with anyone ever again?”

They contemplated pulling the pin altogether, until a “bright spark” in vocalist and bassist Emma Joan emerged from the grey.

“We were meant to audition a few people, but we were just like, ‘Hey, let’s get this rolling, this is feeling really good’. And it’s been really fun to play with her so far,” Torrance says.

The group is no stranger to evolving. In fact, the name Ghost Care is literally a ghost of its previous name.

Torrance and Del Fante originally formed as Coast Care in Perth with two Americans, who were forced to pull out just as the band had assembled an EP.

“We kept playing as a two-piece for a while and writing these songs, and we started to play a few gigs. And we thought it’d be funny if we were the ghost of Coast Care,” Torrance says.

Fast forward to 2025 and the latest version of the band backed up their Fremantle showing alongside Sly Withers and Noah Dillon in January with a tour of WA’s South West coastline, performing as far as Esperance.

Dropping track Better Off to start the year, they are eager to roll out their latest upbeat release, LCD, in a national tour this winter.

“This one (LCD) is kind of like the piece of the bigger puzzle that is our EP that will come out later on in the year, and is just all about the ups and downs of wanting to become a new person,” Torrance explains.

“For me, it was becoming a positive person, and just trying to turn those feelings in my life around through being positive, through looking at the bright side and just trying to will yourself through the doom and gloom.”

Ghost Care will kick off their national tour at Fremantle’s Mojos Bar on May 31.

Songs to stream: Home Run, Canadian Dream, Bussell Hwy

Ullah

Ullah was four when she joined a choir, in primary school when she started writing songs, and 14 when she first picked up a guitar. So perhaps it’s not surprising the minute she finished high school she was raring to go.

“In 2020 I graduated and in 2021 I got straight into playing gigs,” the singer-songwriter says. “I was playing solo gigs for around two years. I just wanted to really make sure I had my sound, that I was proud of the songs I was writing and comfortable with them and was feeling comfortable enough on stage.”

That apprenticeship has served her well. Apart from becoming a staple on Perth stages, and opening for Tom Jones at his Kings Park show last year, Ullah has released four singles and is planning on an EP release later this year.

Her music hits a sweet spot somewhere around confessional indie folk-pop. Her latest single I Want it All reflects Ullah’s drive to take her music to the world.

“That was written when I was in Europe for two months and it was at a point where I felt really excited about music. I have a lot of drive and a passion for music but I just didn’t know which path to take and which road to take.”

It seems even without a road map the only way is forward. While many artists focus strongly on social media to reach fans, Ullah says she has preferred building her audience up through her commitment to live performance. It’s also meant she has been able to meet other like-minded musicians to form her band.

“There is something pretty cool being able to try your songs in front of people straight away,” Ullah says. “There’s more of a homegrown feeling. And I feel like it’s seeing your community like face-to-face for me, has been pretty important. I think social media is important and continuing to spread your audience, but I am glad that I did start doing live performances beforehand.”

As for the future, Ullah is planning on playing shows on the east coast, releasing her first EP but most importantly, keep making music.

“Just continuing to write,” she says. And get better at my craft.”

Songs to stream: What Nightmares Are Made Of, I Want It All

Old Mervs

Byron Bay is a world away from the farming town of Kojonup that Old Mervs call home, but the indie duo needed to write and record new music there to ensure they kept their sound fresh for a debut album fans couldn’t wait to hear.

After releasing several singles and EPs, David House and Henry Carrington-Jones decided to focus on a self-titled debut album that explored a free-wheeling sound while still staying true to the Old Mervs surf rock roots fans love them for.

Having always written and recorded in Perth, they decamped to renowned producer Chris Collins’ studio in the lush Byron Bay hinterland.

They wanted to challenge themselves to find something new.

“It was a natural progression; we were looking for a new dynamic,” lead singer House reflected.

“It was nice to change it up, do something different, go to a new place it kind of feels like you’re on holiday so you can’t really be in a bad mood when you’re somewhere nice that isn’t home. It gives more of a positive kind of feel to what you’re doing.

“The album is every ounce of music taste we’ve ever had kind of powered into one.”

The 11-track album was released on Friday and flows from cascading guitars to Brit-pop influences to summery 90s west coast alternative rock.

Many of the songs were written with Collins, and Carrington-Jones said the collaboration was another huge factor in travelling to the east coast.

“It keeps things fresh, it was a cool process,” he said.

“Collins had fresh ideas, which is something very different for us, we’ve never done any co-writing so that was a new element that we really enjoyed.”

Old Mervs are set to jet off on their massive Australian and New Zealand album tour, kicking off in Auckland on May 1.

The pair will then head to Wellington and Christchurch, then back to Australia to perform in Adelaide, Canberra, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria before wrapping up the tour in Perth at HPC on July 5.

When comparing hometown shows to international or interstate gigs, Old Mervs said Perth will always hold a special place in their hearts.

“It’s always nice at a hometown show to have a bottle of champagne with everyone, have a beer with mum and dad,” Carrington-Jones said.

“The best part is playing to the fans and people at home and getting to play bigger shows and everywhere else is just really fun, it’s cool and just a good vibe.”

Carrington-Jones said it was “a weird but exciting feeling” to finally have their definitive record out.

“We’re keen to play new songs and have a whole new set, that’ll be interesting. We’re keen to see how many people know the new album and if they’re singing to the new ones,” he said.

And considering they’ve earned themselves a hardcore fan base since breaking out with punchy tunes like Cellphone and Waiting Around, that doesn’t seem doubtful.

One of the new songs called Waiting captures House’s husky vocals exceptionally. The raw, acoustic track was recorded in one take on the studio veranda, bird song included.

Other songs didn’t come as easily.

The album’s opener, Parched, was almost left off the list after House couldn’t sing anything to the chord progression at first.

“I thought it kinda sucked, I was really off it,” he said. “It was just driving me up the wall.”

Collins managed to rework the song with a few guitar effects and a drum loop, among other things, and soon enough House went from “hating the song to being in love with it”.

Following the tour, Old Mervs hope to sink their teeth into another album.

The duo is also keen to explore more collaborations.

“I’ve sort of started to quite enjoy co-writing and just getting a breath of fresh air, which is what we’ve sort of done with Chris. We’re open to anything,” House said.

Carrington-Jones added: “It could be cool to get a girl on for vocals and to write a song with another band, or another artist, for sure.”

Last year saw the boys go regional with their Comin’ To A Town Near You tour as well as their How The Fark Are Ya? tour of Australia and New Zealand.

In November, the band embarked on their first UK headline tour, selling out venues in London, Manchester and Birmingham.

It came after their sophomore EP Give It Up, released in August 2023, debuted at No.2 on the ARIA charts and earned them a nomination for best new artist at the 2024 Rolling Stone Australia awards.

Songs to stream: What You’ve Lost, Out Of Luck, Wait Around