Sydney’s rising dream pop emo trio EGOISM is gearing up for an exciting international milestone, having been announced as part of the stellar lineup for Music Matters Live 2025 in Singapore this October. Fresh off the success of their Top 10 ARIA Australian Album And Go Nowhere, released in May 2025, the band—comprised of Scout Eastment (she/her), Olive Rush (they/them), and Adam Holmes (he/him)—is poised to bring their signature blend of euphoria and introspection to Southeast Asia for the first time. This showcase festival, celebrating its 20th anniversary from September 26 to 28 at the vibrant Clarke Quay area, promises a diverse roster of breakthrough artists from across the region and beyond, including 1st ONE and James Reid from the Philippines, JAIE from Malaysia, ABANGSAPAU and Shazza from Singapore, PSYCHIC FEVER from EXILE TRIBE and ONE OR EIGHT from Japan, Shakira Jasmine from Indonesia, Go-Jo, and Jolianne, among others. For EGOISM, hailing from Sydney’s Inner West, this performance marks a thrilling expansion of their relentless touring schedule, building on a loyal worldwide fanbase cultivated through raw storytelling and heart-on-sleeve singles.
Music Matters Live 2025, one of the world’s leading music trade festivals and showcases, has long been a launchpad for emerging talents, drawing industry professionals, fans, and artists to Singapore’s dynamic entertainment scene. Held in the heart of Clarke Quay, a riverside hotspot known for its lively nightlife and cultural fusion, the event aligns perfectly with Singapore’s status as a global hub for Asian music innovation. This year’s edition, supported by the Singapore Tourism Board and partners like Branded, features a curated mix of regional acts that highlight the rich diversity of Asian sounds—from Philippine pop sensations like James Reid, whose recent announcements have fans buzzing on social media, to Japanese powerhouses PSYCHIC FEVER and WOLF HOWL HARMONY, who confirmed their participation with excitement on X (formerly Twitter), promising electrifying performances. Posts from official accounts like @psyfe_official and @WOLFHOWLHARMONY emphasize the festival’s prestige as one of the top three music showcases globally, with details teased on Instagram and the official site. For Indian audiences, where indie and alternative scenes are booming through festivals like NH7 Weekender, acts like ABANGSAPAU’s experimental vibes and Shakira Jasmine’s soulful Indonesian flair offer a taste of cross-cultural resonance, making the event a must-watch via live streams or future tours.
EGOISM’s inclusion in this lineup is a natural fit, given their evocative sound that bridges dream pop’s hazy atmospheres with emo’s unflinching emotional honesty. Formed as a three-piece independent band, they are renowned for shared lead vocals that create a layered, intimate experience, evoking the quiet victories amid early adulthood’s chaos. Their debut album And Go Nowhere has been hailed as a powerful soundtrack to mental health struggles, societal pressures, and the joy of finding clarity through music, earning critical acclaim and a spot in the ARIA Top 10. Recent X posts from their official account @EGOISMxo reveal the band’s enthusiasm for Southeast Asia, announcing their arrival in Singapore from September 26-28 and October 1, seeking hawker recommendations and expressing honor in bringing their music to the region. This follows a string of fan interactions, including a Tokyo meetup at Tower Records Shibuya and localized releases like a Japanese-subtitled video for “Melbourne,” shared by agencies like Silent Trade, which has amplified their reach in Asia.
Coinciding with the announcement, EGOISM is set to release a reworked (Trust Me) double single on September 10, 2025, featuring live-evolved reinterpretations of “Sydney” and “Addison Road” from And Go Nowhere. Available on all digital streaming platforms, these tracks capture the band’s DIY ethos, recorded at home in a lo-fi style to reflect the looser energy of their stripped-back live sets. “You develop a different relationship with a song once you’ve played it live for a while,” the band explains. “Arrangements evolve, especially in stripped-back sets. Trust Me was an experiment to reflect that looser, DIY energy. It’s all home recorded, something lofi that captures the versions of the songs we’d grown into over time.” These reinterpretations highlight how touring has shaped their music, infusing the originals’ dream pop and shoegaze elements with a raw, evolved intimacy that fans in Singapore can expect to experience live. For those in Mumbai or Delhi, where dream pop acts like When Chai Met Toast are gaining traction, EGOISM’s sound offers a fresh, introspective alternative, blending Australian indie grit with universal themes of growth.
The band’s journey to this point has been marked by steady, organic growth. Scout Eastment, Olive Rush, and Adam Holmes met in Sydney’s vibrant Inner West scene, a breeding ground for alternative music much like Brooklyn’s indie hubs. Starting with relentless touring across Australia, they’ve built a dedicated following through singles that tackle the paralysis of young adulthood—the fear, confusion, and small triumphs. And Go Nowhere, with its 10 tracks exploring mental health and societal expectations, not only charted highly on ARIA but also resonated internationally, with fans in Japan praising localized content on X. Posts from @SilentradeMusic highlight their appeal, noting the release of “Sydney” tailored for Japanese listeners, while @EGOISMxo shares personal anecdotes about meeting supportive fans, underscoring their approachable, community-driven ethos. This global traction has led to opportunities like the Tokyo fan meetup on August 31, 2025, where Olive Rush hosted record shopping and music talks, fostering deeper connections.
Music Matters Live’s history of spotlighting diverse talents makes EGOISM’s debut a pivotal moment. Past editions have launched careers for artists from Southeast Asia and beyond, and 2025’s 20th anniversary edition, as covered by Bandwagon Asia, features a lineup blending P-pop from James Reid, J-pop from PSYCHIC FEVER and ONE OR EIGHT, and local Singaporean acts like Shazza. X buzz from @BandwagonAsia and fan accounts like @lovexpsyche details James Reid’s involvement and Jolianne’s addition, while @NewsNltv announces Nagaland-based Trance Effect’s participation, showcasing Indian representation. For EGOISM, performing alongside these acts at Clarke Quay—a venue famed for its fusion of music and cuisine—offers a chance to immerse in Singapore’s multicultural vibe, perhaps even indulging in hawker favorites as they requested online. The festival’s free and ticketed elements, accessible via MRT stations like Clarke Quay or Chinatown, ensure broad appeal, drawing crowds from across Asia and international visitors during Singapore’s bustling October season.
As EGOISM prepares for more announcements, their social media remains a hub for updates, with followers encouraged to follow for tour dates and releases. For media enquiries, contact pr@canglo.com. This Singapore outing, just weeks away from the current date of September 8, 2025, cements EGOISM’s trajectory as a band transcending borders, much like how Indian indie scenes are embracing global influences. With And Go Nowhere‘s themes of overcoming paralysis, their performance promises to be a cathartic highlight, inviting audiences to embrace the strangely beautiful chaos of growth. Whether streaming the (Trust Me) singles or catching them live, EGOISM’s dream pop emo wave is set to sweep Singapore and beyond, proving that music’s healing power knows no geographical bounds.
The Pop Blog general news and updates, mostly from press releases and conferences.