Melbourne singer Angie McMahon to star at SXSW Festival in Texas this week
Melbourne singer Angie McMahon has won her chance to appear in a performance at the prestigious SXSW Festival in Texas this week — and she can’t wait to get there.
A young Melbourne musician has taken out one of the top awards at international music festival SXSW in the US this week.
Alphington-based 24-year-old Angie McMahon was this weekend awarded the Grulke Prize for developing non-US artist.
The win comes on the heels of fellow Melbourne singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett’s win of the same award in 2015.
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McMahon played at the Texan music showcase as part of her first string of US shows, after wrapping her debut Australian headline tour late last year.
“It’s a super big honour and playing SXSW is such a milestone,” she told the Herald Sun.
“It’s so big and there are so many bands.
“It’s amazing.”
After playing huge rooms around Australia including the Forum, performing more intimate shows in the US is a different experience- one Mahon enjoys.
“It feels like we are starting from the ground up again,” she said.
“I’ve done years of cover gigs and pub gigs and support gigs where no one knew who you were or cared about you.
“It’s important and humbling.”
A rave review was posted alongside McMahon’s award announcement.
“She writes and performs across the full dynamic spectrum, shifting between gravelly intimacy and pounding rock,” the SXSW statement read.
“Her performances at SXSW bounced between whisper-quiet tones and cathartic rock roars.”
The award-winning Melbourne musician is set to release her first album mid 2019.
Angie McMahon was one of tens of Aussie acts vying for international recognition this week.
Showcases at dedicated venue Australia House and gigs at locations across the city aimed to bring attention to as many as possible.
Sounds Australia creative producer Esti Zilber has been working closely with the 54 Australian artists at the global showcase in Texas.
“It is important for us to give Australian artists the best platform possible to showcase their work,” she said.
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“The sheer volume of artists show there is a desire to consume and discover Australian artists.”
Ms Zilber said it was hard for performers to wow night after night, but that the pay-off could be huge, as experienced by artists like Flume and Courtney Barnett in the past.
“What we’ve witnessed with Angie is the start of something really special,” the Sounds Australia producer said.
“These are our cultural Olympians.
“The stamina they have to perform like that when pitched against 2000 other acts is something else.”
Kira Puru, Grace Turner, and Haiku Hands were among the other Australian artists wowing American audiences over the week.
Originally published as Melbourne singer Angie McMahon to star at SXSW Festival in Texas this week
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