Country Music Takes Over Australia: Strummingbird Festival Makes a Splash

A Celebration of Country Tunes

Australia just got a new music festival, and it's all about country tunes! The Strummingbird Festival, put on by Live Nation and Kicks Entertainment, just wrapped up its first run. It stopped in three cities: Sunshine Coast, Newcastle, and Perth. Thousands of people showed up to enjoy the music over two weekends.

A Mix of International and Local Talent

The festival featured a mix of big-name American artists and local Australian talent:

International Acts: Jelly Roll, Shaboozey, Treaty Oak Revival
Australian Talent: James Johnston, Kaylee Bell, Wade Forster

The lineup was a good mix of well-known and up-and-coming artists.

More Than Just Music

The festival wasn't just about music. There were:

Line-dancing workshops
Surprise performances
Jelly Roll brought out Shaboozey and Bell during his sets in Newcastle and Perth.
James Johnston filmed a live music video during his performance in Sunshine Coast.

These extra activities made the festival more interactive and fun.

The Rise of Country Music in Australia

Country music is becoming more popular in Australia:

Jelly Roll's album "Beautifully Broken" did really well on the charts.
Reached number 19 on the ARIA Top 50 Albums chart
Reached number 3 on the ARIA Top 40 Country Albums Chart
Local artist James Johnston also had a successful album debut, which is a big deal for an independent country artist.

Celebrating Local Culture

The festival paid attention to local culture:

Each city had its own unique lineup.
Acknowledgments of Māori and First Nations cultures.
The Sunshine Coast leg sold out.
Newcastle got support from Destination NSW as part of their tourism efforts.

Plans for the Future

Live Nation, one of the organizers, is already planning to bring the festival back in 2026. They've been expanding their music offerings in Australia and New Zealand, including pop, hip-hop, and Latin music.

Fun Activities Beyond the Main Stages

Besides the main stages, there were other fun activities:

The "Strummo Bowlo": A communal dance area where people danced to both country and pop songs.
Moments set to Charli XCX's "Brat" anthems, which was a hit with the younger crowd.