Home / Arts and Entertainment / Indie Acts Swapmeet and Suichu Spica Triumph at SXSW Sydney 2025
Indie Acts Swapmeet and Suichu Spica Triumph at SXSW Sydney 2025
23 Oct
Summary
- Swapmeet wins best emerging artist award at SXSW Sydney 2025
- Suichu Spica awarded best performance prize at SXSW Sydney 2025
- Jamaica Moana receives inaugural Walk to Austin Award
The 2025 SXSW Sydney festival was a showcase of exceptional musical talent, with two acts emerging as standout winners. Swapmeet, an indie band from Adelaide, was awarded the Justin Cosby best emerging artist honor, recognizing their artistic merit and "export readiness." SXSW Sydney's head of music, Claire Collins, praised the band's "quality songwriting and cohesive production," which attracted significant industry interest.
Meanwhile, the Japanese math rock act Suichu Spica collected the Justin Cosby best performance prize, with SXSW Sydney's music program manager, Reg Harris, highlighting their "flawless live sets" and "intricate guitar tapping, sparkling vocals, ever-changing time signatures and cinematic crescendos" as true highlights of the festival.
In a separate accolade, the trailblazing Māori/Samoan rapper and songwriter Jamaica Moana was named the recipient of the inaugural Walk to Austin Award, presented in partnership with Johnnie Walker Black Ruby. As part of her victory, Moana will have the opportunity to perform at SXSW 2026 in Austin, Texas, a recognition of her exceptional creativity, originality, and potential to connect with a global audience.
