BE HEAR NOW 2025
BALLARAT’S HOTTEST NEW SINGLES
Be Hear Now is Ballarat’s annual music development program which finds and fosters musical artists within the Ballarat region. We identify talent, provide mentoring and training. We choose the ‘talent worth watching’ and we work out what kinds of support they need to thrive.
And we help the hottest acts in Ballarat to refine, record, mix and master a single. Be Hear Now supports the release cycle of a single from songwriting to recording, design and production, marketing and publicity, distribution and strategic planning. Dropping throughout August and September 2025
blue ren
about
Tell Me Your Story, the first of five singles to emerge from this year’s cohort. Written and performed by Ballarat’s own Blue Ren, the track is a cinematic and emotionally rich meditation on memory, identity, and human connection.
Inspired by a chance conversation during an Uber ride and her work as an occupational therapist supporting people at the end of life, Blue Ren’s lyrics invite listeners to embrace their stories — even the parts we’re taught to hide. With poetic vulnerability and sonic influences ranging from Jewel to The Lumineers, Tell Me Your Story is both deeply personal and universally resonant.
Recorded in Ballarat at Sunny South Studios, with Sam Boon, and mentored by ARIA Award-winner Lior, the single showcases the depth of talent nurtured through Be Hear Now.
listen
nekrome
about
Ballarat-based artist and producer Nekrome is back with a brand-new single, ‘Remind Us’, out now as part of Be Hear Now.
A warm and infectious up-tempo pop track, Remind Us is about the kind of love that doesn’t run out — the deep, intuitive connection where everything just clicks. With its shimmering guitar melodies, playful samples and punchy electronic drums, the track is a celebration of connection and clarity — music made for golden afternoons, car singalongs, and hearts full of hope.
“This one’s for the lovers,” says Nekrome. “It’s about that moment when love feels effortless, like the world is just lighter when they’re around.”
Nekrome was mentored by local music legend Juan Alban - check out Remind Us now…
listen
HEMLOCK WILDE
ABOUT
Filipino-Australian singer-songwriter Hemlock Wilde has unveiled their debut single Icarus, a stirring and poetic track that blends myth, metaphor, and personal emancipation.
A whimsical storyteller, Ballarat-based Hemlock weaves vivid lyricism with piano, guitar, flute, and voice to create a dreamlike, seventies-inspired soundscape coloured by science fiction and mythology. Their music balances the ethereal with the deeply personal, offering listeners an intimate glimpse into transformation and self-discovery.
Icarus was written by Hemlock Wilde, recorded at Sunny South Studios, produced by Sam Boon and mixed by Damien Charles. The song features Hemlock Wilde on piano, Kate Lucas on electric and acoustic guitar, Damien Charles on bass and Chromaharp, Josh Knight on drums, Sam Boon on synths, Liana Emerson on backing vocals. For this song release, Hemlock Wilde was mentored by Liz Stringer.
LISTEN
D.B.L.U.
ABOUT
Ballarat-based hip hop artist D.B.L.U. has released his highly anticipated bouncy new single - Safe Levels.
Pronounced like the letter “W”, D.B.L.U. is an emerging voice in Australian hip hop, known for his dense compound rhymes, intricately swung flows, and fearless exploration of unconventional beats. Inspired by lyrical giants such as Rakim and Method Man, he has developed a distinctive style that fuses raw authenticity with diverse musical influences.
Safe Levels is the beginnings of D.B.L.U.’s second project, following the release of his debut EP Smoke Screen. The new single continues his reputation for metaphorically disguised storytelling, weaving real-life experiences into layered wordplay and figurative narratives that reveal more with each listen.
LISTEN
nasal spray
about
Local garage rockers Nasal Spray have today unleashed their latest single, Rich Man - a jangly, guitar-driven burst of guttural rock clocking in at just under three minutes.
Equal parts raw and reflective, Rich Man is more than a rock anthem. “The song is kind of like an exercise in gratefulness and to be more present,” says frontman James Ramsay. “So often I get caught in my own head and this is a form of release. It’s kind of like yoga or meditation rather than the angry stuff.”
Drawing inspiration from the likes of 60s garage rock pioneers, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Kinks, and The Beatles, Nasal Spray bring a modern edge to a vintage sound. The result is unpolished, visceral, and impossible not to move to.
Nasal Spray have already shared stages with icons like You Am I and Tim Rogers, earning a reputation for their high-energy, sweat-drenched live shows. The band will be hitting stages soon with dates in Ballarat and Apollo Bay, ahead of the release of their much-anticipated debut album in 2026.
listen
what did the cohort receive?
Five dedicated sessions with an industry-matched mentor
Strategic planning for single release
Professional recording, mixing and mastering sessions
Graphic design for single artwork and poster collateral
Release strategy development
Marketing and promotion funding
Distribution support – how to get your music on popular streaming platforms
Professional development in areas including music business, artist brand development, marketing and social media, publicity, live performance, recording and production, tour planning, digital distribution and playlist pitching.
be hear now mentors for 2025
In its fifth year, the Be Hear Now program is providing ‘the ones to watch’ in the Ballarat music scene with a tailored mentorship program, pairing them up with industry professionals, to help them refine their craft and build their careers. The cohort will undergo training and receive support to assist in the commercial release of a new single, supported by a team of industry professionals and service providers.
Industry mentors include solo artist and bandleader of Epicure, Juan Alban; lead guitarist and songwriter of Magic Dirt, Raul Sanchez; singer songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Liz Stringer; ARIA award winning singer songwriter Lior; and touring musician and recording artist Lilith Lane.
The cohort will undergo training and receive support to assist in the commercial release of their single, supported by a team of industry professionals and service providers.
Underpinning the program will be an emphasis on building a team to support the creative practice and commercial viability of the artist/band through supporting the release cycle of a single from songwriting to recording, design and production, marketing and publicity, distribution and strategic planning.
the music scene in ballarat
Like so many places, the Ballarat new music scene faces a complex set of challenges including rising costs, changing audience behavior, and the lasting impacts of the pandemic. These factors are impacting venues, artists, and the overall health of the industry. But the power of regional music making continues to grow and evolve. Our communities will always find a way to make and create new music. Check out this short documentary made by rising talent James Turner on the challenges and opportunities for Ballarat’s music sector.