Jessica Cerro

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Jessica Cerro

Since first emerging in 2012, Montaigne has established themselves as one of Australia’s most dynamic performers, a natural storyteller and entertainer that has captured attention across the world. Early releases like ‘I Am Not An End’ and ‘I’m A Fantastic Wreck’ announced their arrival into the music scene in 2014, introducing Montaigne as an intelligent, nuanced, and sensitive songwriter who could push the boundaries of pop music. Their expansive debut album GLORIOUS HEIGHTS arrived in 2016, featuring the ARIA Platinum certified single ‘Because I Love You’. The album earned landed at #4 on the ARIA charts, and Montaigne took home the ‘Best Breakthrough Artist’ award at the 2016 ARIA Awards. They followed it up with COMPLEX in 2019, a collection of observations and stories beautifully delivered against a backdrop of sprawling and theatrical sounds – regarded as one of the best records of the year.

A year later, Montaigne was selected to represent Australia at Eurovision in Rotterdam 2020, having won the Eurovision: Australia Decides competition with their stunning original song, ‘Don’t Break Me’. While the global music event was delayed due to the pandemic, Montaigne returned in 2021 to represent Australia on the world stage in May of 2021 with their kaleidoscopic single ‘Technicolour’. Montaigne returned with third album making it! in 2022. Their most eclectic and forward-thinking record yet, making it! showcased their wide-ranging influences and ability to distill the full spectrum of emotions in clever, sophisticated songwriting. Key amongst making it! was two urgent and gloriously prismatic songs sculpted alongside Talking Heads’ visionary leader David Byrne

Montaigne is also credited as a co-writer on the Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical soundtrack and continues breaking new ground in the music scene
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Related Sessions

Games and the Australian Music Industry

FRI, OCT 20, 2:00 PM
Conference
A conversation to unveil the untapped potential for collaboration between Games and the Australian Music industry. Host Kirsty Rivers, Head of Music at Creative Australia, will share the findings of the landmark 2023 Music in Games benchmark audit and lead a discussion with industry representatives: Australian writer and composer Dan Golding, academic Dr Brendan Keogh and Australian art pop musician and Twitch streamer Montaigne. This session is presented by Creative Australia and celebrates the powerful public value of Australian artists and creative practitioners.
We acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation as the Traditional Custodians of this land we now call Sydney, where this event will take place. We pay our respects to their continuing connection with cultural, spiritual and educational practices, and extend this respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Always was, always will be.
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