THERE is talk of a changing of the guard. As the movers and shakers of the music world sit down for their three-course meal at this year's Australian Record Industry Association Awards, a number of new faces will stand out from the crowd.
Last year Sarah Blasko, End Of Fashion, Evermore, Lior, Mia Dyson, Thirsty Merc, The Veronicas, Wolfmother and Joel Turner were little more than blips on the Australian music radar. Now they're cresting a wave of fresh talent, signalling what some observers suggest is a much-needed industry change.
But are these up-and-comers a sign of things to come? Or have they simply slipped through the back door while big-name artists Pete Murray, Powderfinger, Kasey Chambers, Jet and Alex Lloyd have been taking a break?
In the fickle world of Australian music, where careers are regularly made and broken, it could be a bit of both.
The only notable exceptions to this phenomenon are Missy Higgins, winner of last year's best single gong and nominated for seven ARIA music awards for her album The Sound Of White, and Ben Lee, with five ARIA nominations for Awake Is The New Sleep.
While Higgins is expected to be this year's hit, however, her distinctive twang won't be the only talent on display. Sydney-based Blasko is a star on the rise, with her debut long-player album The Overture & The Underscore nominated for four ARIAs including Best Album of The Year and Best Female Artist.
Ironically, 29-year-old Blasko, who spent 10 years gigging before exploding on to the airwaves of Triple J, has been described as a darker version of the 20-year-old Higgins.
But when the singer/songwriter was tracked down by phone at London's Heathrow Airport, ARIA nominations were the last things on her mind.
In fact Blasko admits with just a 48-hour window to fly from North America to Australia and back again, she might not be able to make it to the awards ceremony at all: "I'm on my way to America to do shows with Martha Wainwright and James Blunt in the US and Canada," she says.
Having just finished supporting Tom McRae in Britain, performing shows in Ireland, Scotland and England, Blasko says her biggest fear is not lack of recognition but rather, standing still.
"I think what I fear more than anything is being comfortable," she says.
Although still classed as a breakthrough artist, this is not Blasko's first year in the ARIA nominations.
Her six-track independently produced EP Prelusive, released in 2002, scored her a surprise nomination in the Best Female Artist category.
For Perth band End Of Fashion, however, an ARIA nomination is a crucial step in their "big picture" plans for international stardom.
This year the band's single O Yeah, from their self-titled album, has been nominated for Breakthrough Artist Single against tough competition from Joel Turner and the Modern Day Poets, Kisschasy, The Veronicas and Wolfmother.
Frontman Justin Burford says the band was always careful to keep the big picture in view.
"We're very focused about what we want to get out of our music because we see End Of Fashion as a long-term gig," he says.
"The only bands that really do well out of Perth are the ones that do know where they want to go, like Eskimo Joe.
"You have to be careful about what you do and keep the big picture in perspective."
With gigs already lined up in London and New Zealand – and Europe and the US on the cards for next year – End Of Fashion seemingly is well on track.
Read more at Entertainment.News.com.au
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