BIGSOUND 2018 Artist Focus: CXLOE

Give us a short description of your music: Dark pop.

Which acts are on your must-see list at BIGSOUND? Definitely Adrian Eagle, Kota Banks, GRAACE and Samsaruh!

In your career to date, what have been the key watershed moments? My earliest memory that really hit me in the face was when I felt like I finally found my 'sound'. I had been writing for so long, exploring so many genres, then I finished my first single Tough Love and felt like it was the right time to start releasing music.

If you could give your younger self, starting out as a musician, a few words of wisdom, what would they be? Work SMART!

Why should people come and see you among the many amazing bands at BIGSOUND? A CXLOE show is something special and unique I've worked really hard on with my band over the past year. I really want to provide the audience with a sense of diving into the performance and experiencing my songs emotions in a live setting.

What industry lessons would you like to take away from the BIGSOUND conference? I admire so many people speaking and performing at BIGSOUND this year, I really look forward to absorbing their knowledge and performances. I also look forward to seeing how many late night kebabs get eaten in The Valley! ;)

What do you identify as the most pressing issue impacting the Australian music industry at present? There are a few that come to mind but the main ones for me would be writers and songwriters being fairly represented in fees and splits in publishing and also minorities in music (disabled access at music festivals, non-alcoholic drinks being served, sign language at performances).

What music trends do you think are dominating right now, and do you have any predictions for the coming year? I think pop music is dominating right now! For a while I felt like pop music wasn't really 'cool' or welcomed on the Aussie music scene but so many artists are putting out such incredible pop tracks that are individual to their sound and pushing sonic boundaries!

When and where is your BIGSOUND showcase? 5 Sep, Family, 10.30pm; 6 Sep, The Flying Cock, 10.20pm.