Bali, Indonesia – AXEAN
Festival 2025 has officially announced its final lineup for this year’s
edition.
The stage is
set for the first intra-regional showcase festival in Asia, as it welcomes 43 music acts across three stages at Jimbaran Hub in Bali, Indonesia, from
September 13 to 14, 2025.
Completing
the final round of performers are some of the most prominent and emerging names
in the Indonesian music scene, including metal/hardcore quintet AVHATH, beloved folk duo Banda Neira, rising indie act Gozal, alternative rock outfit Grizzly Cluive, genre-bending band Morbid Monke, indie rock powerhouse Sandstorm of Youth, melancholic indie
group sourmilk, multi-talented
musician Xandega, and a special
collaboration set between Bandung-based punk rock band Dongker and acclaimed singer-songwriter Jason Ranti.
The
announcement also brings an exciting mix of Asian talents, such as trailblazing
Malaysian R&B artist Alextbh,
Laotian musician BIGPOM, Thai indie
rock act LEMONY, Thai rock band Cvptain Morgans, Japanese
singer-songwriter Kiwako Ashimine,
J-indie artist Mettya Bizin (めっちゃ美人), Vietnamese
indie/dream pop project Milkiwav, Vietnamese indie act
Nghịch, and Filipino genre-fluid
band Weejah.
These artists join
an already diverse roster that includes Billyrrom.,
Blindfold, Capt’n Trips and the Kid,
Confined White, DJ Love, DOOR PLANT, Fauxe, Feel Koplo x Toxicdev!, Jangar,
Johnny Mafia, Kelompok Penerbang Roket, La
Cima Cartel, L’Alphalpha, Lustbass, MANJA, Ministry Of, One Click Straight, Shanghai Quitian, Shye, SIMILE LAND, S.O.L.E., Su San, Terrer, Valentina Ploy, and XANDEGA.
TuneCore’s key role in curating the final
batch of lineup
This year, TuneCore plays a pivotal role in
shaping the final lineup, expanding its position as one of AXEAN Festival’s
most important partners. Through a four-month, multi-stage submission and rigid
selection process spanning five countries in Southeast Asia, TuneCore helped
discover and elevate standout independent voices that have made a mark in their
niche markets.
Cyrus Chen, Head of TuneCore Southeast Asia,
recalls the selection process that they went through before picking the finest
acts that show global potential. “It began with open biweekly submissions,
attracting over 600 entries,” Cyrus explains. “Selected artists progressed to
monthly live showcases at local venues, with each monthly winner advancing to
country finals. Out of the 27 finalists, our local panels chose the six artists
performing at AXEAN. The biggest surprise was probably the incredible depth of
undiscovered talent. We found remarkable hidden gems across diverse and often
genre-blending styles. What was particularly striking was how many of these
artists hadn't formally released music yet.”
When asked
about the criteria in picking the artists who made it to TuneCore’s AXEAN
stage, Cyrus emphasized the importance of authenticity and range, and how
beyond raw talent, there’s a need to prioritize artists whose music
authentically integrates local flair and cultural influences. “Showcasing a
diverse spectrum of genres was also essential,” he adds.
For their
part, the top global distribution and label services company, along with AXEAN
Festival, promises to use their platform to foster real-world opportunities,
apart from empowering artists digitally. “We actively nurture talent by
providing platforms for exposure, facilitating live performance experience at
scale (from local venues to major festivals), educational opportunities
(workshops and masterclasses to upskill artists), and connecting artists
directly with new audiences and industry stakeholders across borders. We go
beyond distribution to open doors for market access and career growth that are
often out of reach for independent artists.”
The Orchard-AXEAN Festival partnership
The Orchard, a prominent music
distribution company operating in over 49 cities worldwide, has expressed its
support for AXEAN Festival through a strategic partnership. Both music entities
share a vision of empowering artists to broaden their horizons and access new
music markets beyond their turfs. Together, both AXEAN and The Orchard are keen
on dismantling barriers and enabling Southeast Asian creative communities to
showcase their music on a global stage.
As Prahlad Prabhas, The Orchard’s Senior Director, Southeast
Asia, explains it, “This [collaboration] aligns perfectly with The
Orchard's philosophy of helping artists grow outside their home markets. We’re
thrilled to be part of that journey this year by sponsoring a stage. For us,
it’s more than just about the music—it’s about celebrating the creativity and
energy of this region and sharing it with the world.”
Tickets are now available via:
Indonesia:
https://bit.ly/TicketAXEAN2025Indo
International:
https://bit.ly/TicketAXEAN2025Inter
China:
https://bit.ly/TicketAXEAN2025China
About AXEAN Festival
The AXEAN Festival is a prominent Southeast
Asian music export platform, combining a music conference and showcase
festival.
Launched in
2020 during the pandemic by music professionals across Southeast Asia, AXEAN
Festival has successfully hosted both virtual (2020-2021) and in-person
(2022-2024) events. Over five editions, it has featured 200 artists from 20
countries, attracted 240 delegates from 32 countries, and reached over 46,000
virtual viewers, along with close to 15,000 live attendees.
With its
growing international reputation, AXEAN has firmly established itself as
Southeast Asia’s leading music export platform. Its first venture into a new
market beyond its original home base in Singapore and Bali garnered widespread
acclaim among attendees, music industry professionals, and participating
artists.
About TuneCore
TuneCore is
the leading independent development partner for self-releasing artists to build
audiences and careers – with technology and services across distribution,
publishing administration, and a range of promotional services. TuneCore Music
Distribution services help artists, labels, and managers get their music on
Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, TikTok, YouTube Music, and more
than 150 download and streaming stores and platforms worldwide, while retaining
100% of their sales revenue and rights for a low annual flat fee. TuneCore
Music Publishing Administration assists songwriters by collecting royalties
stemming from the use of their compositions – including mechanical royalties
from download and streaming services, performance royalties from radio, TV and
live performances, and synchronization royalties from film, TV and advertising
– in over 200 countries globally. TuneCore is based in Brooklyn, NY, and is
owned by Paris-based Believe, one of the world’s leading digital music
companies.
About The Orchard
THE ORCHARD: DELIVERING
INDEPENDENT MUSIC SINCE 1997
The Orchard is a leading music distribution company
operating in over 49 cities worldwide. With a comprehensive artist & label
services offering including full-service marketing, synch licensing, video
services, transparent data analysis, advertising, rights management, digital
and physical distribution and more. The Orchard empowers creators and
businesses to grow and adapt in the dynamic global industry
