Words by Sean Tayler

Last week, Brisbane was treated to the Mountain Goat Valley Crawl; a free festival spanning through Fortitude Valley and featuring exciting emerging Australian talent. Artists such as Jesswar, King IV and Ninajirachi put on unforgettable shows that reminded me of the passion that makes me enjoy live music, so much.

Jesswar

The first act I caught on the night was Jesswar; an up and coming Brisbane hip-hop artist originally from Fiji. I went to watch Jesswar’s set as a fan of her only released single, ‘Savage’. I was treated to much more than a show; Jesswar’s set at The Zoo was an experience. Each performance featured exciting and engaging raps that commanded me to dance. By the time the show-stopping ‘Savage’ played, it was clear that Jesswar is one of the most exciting emerging artists in the Australian hip-hop industry. It was a shame that her set had to end, but a group photo and rave to Princess Nokia’s ‘Tomboy’ (one of my favourite tracks of last year) left me hungry for an attitude filled set by King IV.

King IV

A highlight of Triple j unearthed, and one of Melbourne’s sassiest producers. King IV’s set at Barbara was high octane, it could have jumped started my car. Featuring a variety of release and unreleased material; every track in King IV’s set was bold and performed with attitude. The intimate performance space in Barbara allowed for King IV and DJ, Maткa to interact closely with the audience. With beautifully detailed outfits to complement King IV’s attitude, her set was a highlight of the night.

Ninajirachi

Sydney’s bubblegum pop hero partied during her set at The Zoo. After two very high energy performances from Jesswar and King IV; Nina’s upbeat DJ set was a nice change of tone. Remixing tracks such as Charli XCX’s ‘Roll With Me’ and SOPHIE’s ‘Vyzee’, Ninajirachi’s set was a perfect fit for her perky personality and this shone through in her dancing. Nina’s enthusiasm and clear enjoyment in her DJing was one of the most exciting aspects of her performance. If there’s one question I have after Ninajirachi’s set; does she do parties?