By Lilya Murray

Consider yourself unlucky if you have not heard of Australian local artist Lyric. I attended her first headline show at Mary’s Underground the other night and she played hit after hit to an incredibly eager crowd, so much so that I thought to myself, how is she still hidden?

Lyric (which is her real name!) is from the Gold Coast and is 21 years old. She is a singer/songwriter and a producer, which is hugely impressive. She has two EPs released, every colour, every hue, from 2023, and Nostalgia from 2024, plus a range of singles dating back to 2021. 

She has also gone on tour supporting Griff and Beth McCarthy, who are indie pop and pop rock artists respectively, both from the UK. 

Playing a sold-out one-night-only show, Lyric was introducing fans to a “new era” of music. Her latest single, ‘Friends’, is a song about regretfully being friends with someone you want more with, and has a great beat. She accompanied this with two unreleased songs, ‘Make a Move’, and ‘Homesick’. 

Both of these songs were incredibly strong and undoubtedly future hits. I would bet my internship on the fact that when they are released and Lyric gears up promotion for her next body of work, she shoots straight into the mainstream. 

Part of the reason for this is that Lyric’s sound is one of yearning indie pop, a sound that amasses huge crowds of fangirls when done especially well. She creates a connection with the listener which was clearly evident at her show, and reminiscent of Taylor Swift. 

Lyric knows exactly who her audience is and caters directly to them. The crowd was younger girls and teenagers, who were all singing every word to the pre show setlist, which was exclusively pop songs. When a song came on that was less popular with the crowd such as ‘About You’ by The 1975, it was skipped. 

This upset me personally because great song, but it was a smart move. Keeping the engagement of a younger, female dominated crowd, particularly when playing to smaller venues, is important in cementing a strong connection with fans, especially if you are trying to grow as a local artist.

This strategy was also evident in the covers Lyric played, which included ‘That’s So True’ by Gracie Abrams and ‘Taste’ by Sabrina Carpenter. She knows what her fans like, and she has a sound/brand that complements their tastes. 

All Lyric has to do is capture and keep fans’ attention for her songs, which she does awfully well, and she is likely to share other artists’ similar success.

Most of Lyric’s fans are incredibly dedicated as a result of her investing energy into connecting with them. According to a fan (and friend of mine) who attended the show, fans were allegedly lining up outside the venue from as early as 8.30am, which is huge for a smaller, local artist. 

It should be noted, I am making the assumption that ‘About You’ was skipped for the reason of relating to fans, and not because they were unfavourable to the one in charge of the sound. But there is always that chance…

It is no secret that appealing to a young, female audience will lead to huge successes. Going as far back as the 1800s to ‘Listzomania’, which originated from revered pianist and composer Liszt, fangirls have bolstered the careers of people they simply like to colossal highs for centuries. 

Women were unashamedly passionate at his shows, throwing things at him, cheering, recognising him for his talent and forcing everyone else to do so.

This is recognised in modern times with artists such as Beyoncé, Harry Styles, and Taylor Swift. All of these artists have a female-dominant fanbase and continue to be successful decades into their careers because of their music, and their connection with their audience. 

Lyric has recently been named as Triple J Unearthed’s feature artist of the week, which is a subset of Australian radio station Triple J, dedicated to promoting unknown and local artists. 

I saw this right before I began writing my review, and it cements my opinion that Lyric is a promising artist on Australian soil. Seeing so many young fans at her show also makes me significantly optimistic about the support of our music industry.

I have no doubt that Lyric will eventually come out of hiding to reach a height of fame far beyond that of a typical local artist. Here’s to helping that happen!

Lilya Murray is a third-year student at UNSW, currently completing a Bachelor of Media, majoring in communications and journalism. You can most likely find her rearranging playlists and listening to a different song on repeat each week, or reading in a book, in which case you won’t find her.