Tkay Maidza joins the line-up of local acts heating up the Australian ski fields this winter

RISING rapper Tkay Maidza joins the line-up of local acts heating up the Australian ski fields this winter at the inaugural Snowtunes festival.

Snow ready ... Alpine will perform at the Thredbo Village in September. Picture: Supplied.

TKAY Maidza has never seen snow. Of course she knows what it looks like but the teenage musician hasn’t walked on it, touched it or copped it in her face, snowball stylin’.

The rising star of Australian hip pop will tick this experience off her to-do list when she performs at the inaugural Snowtunes festival in Jindabyne in August.

While the rest of the country’s gig pigs hibernate most of the winter, with the exception of Splendour In The Grass punters, those heading to the ski fields are entertained by the cream of the local crop.

The hip hop and electronic music friendly Snowtunes is headlined by chartslayers Hermitude with Allday, Maidza, Slumberjack, Fortafy and more booked for the August 15 festival.

“My Instagram is going to be all white with me in the snow ... but no yellow snow,” she jokes.

Maidza has quickly established herself not only as an engaging performer but versatile entertainer who can rev up every audience from the club to the festival stage.

Rising star ... Tkay Maidza. Picture: Secret Service

In the past six months alone, the 18-year-old rapper, singer and tune-maker has played some pretty big gigs, including the respected alternative Laneway Festival, Groovin’ The Moo and opened on the Charli XCX tour.

Gigs in America and UK have fuelled the buzz about this innovative young artist.

Maidza burst onto the alternative airwaves less than two years ago with her infectious single Brontosaurus and continued to win fans with her subsequent releases including U-Huh, Switch Lanes and M.O.B.

She was studying architecture when she started working on songs.

“It was like someone who plays tennis every Wednesday, it was just something I did,” she says.

“It wasn’t that I wanted to be huge; I just wanted to make a cool song.

“My perception was that X Factor was the only way it could happen for me and eventually I found Triple J and put my song on Unearthed.

“They are both outlets for talent but one equals respect and the other gives you much less chance of crossing over. It worked for so many people like Flume.”

Making waves ... Tkay Maidza was first picked up after putting her song on Triple J Unearthed. Picture: Secret Service

As well as working on her own songs, Maidza is also hugely sought after as a featured vocalist or rapper. Being able to sing, talk and “talk-sing” puts her in an elite camp of artists who work across pop, hip hop and dance music.

Her first gigs were in dance clubs as part of a Nina Las Vegas national tour.

But the coming-of-age moment for this pint-sized vocal powerhouse came when she performed earlier this year as part of the hip hop all-stars invited by Hilltop Hoods to perform Cosby Sweater at triple J’s Beat The Drum concert to celebrate their 40th anniversary.

“That was definitely a moment. Hilltop Hoods, Seth Sentry, Drapht, they are legendary hip hop artists and there I was, just this little girl doing a verse of Cosby Sweater in front of 25,000 people. I was so, so nervous but they were all lovely and supportive considering I only got to rehearse 30 minutes before we went on. I think they turned my mic down even though I remembered the words once we got on stage,” she says, laughing.

Snowtunes, Lake Jindabyne, August 15, featuring Hermitude, Allday, Tkay Maidza and more.

Other snow shows to check out this season:

Snow ready ... Alpine will perform at the Thredbo Village in September. Picture: Supplied.

Thredbo Uni Week

July 12-18

A week-long series of concerts and parties kick off on July 12 with rapper Seth Sentry, who just dropped his second album Strange New Past. The Best Gig Of Your Life party on July 16 will be headlined by celebrity DJs The Faders and DJ Tigerlily.

Thredbo Village Concert Series

The Preatures kicked off this season’s free gigs in Thredbo Village with the next concert featuring one of the best local rock bands you will see all year Gang Of Youths on July 18. The other confirmed acts for the 2015 calendar include The Rubens on August 15 and the aptly named Alpine on September 12.

Apres party ... The Faders Milly Gattegno and Suhana Lye will be entertaining crowds during Uni Week at Thredbo. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Bliss N Eso Snow Tour

It appears the hip hop trio are rather fond of combining “work” with “play”, booking three concerts on the Victorian fields to entertain those looking for some acres ski action after the two rappers and MC get their own fix of the winter sports action. You can see them at Kooroora Hotel, Mt Buller on August 19, Swindler’s Bar, Mt Hotham on August 20 and Man Hotel, Falls Creek on August 26.

Originally published as Tkay Maidza joins the line-up of local acts heating up the Australian ski fields this winter