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‘We have become like a family’: This free dance class brings the loneliest generation together

A recent survey by VicHealth found more than half of 18-25-year-olds in Victoria struggled to forge new social connections. While those surveyed believed in the importance of being involved with in person groups, most say finding such groups isn’t so easy. Non profit organisation L2R Dance opens its doors to dancers of all backgrounds and skill levels, but it’s so much more than a dance class. It’s a place to connect.
Moonlover
MusicLive

Moonlover - 'Shangri-La' (Be_Hear / Now)

Back in 2010, Quang Dinh was rocking it until the break of day and until the early dawn in Australian five piece indie band, Little Red. Now that those real good times are gone, Dinh has become a lover of the moon, and solo artist, Moonlover. “I was in an indie rock band called Little Red for half a decade, playing bass, singing harmonies, writing a few tunes. Then I led a band, a darker, more Cohen, Cave-esque, for a number of years and we released an album. That dissolved and then I started on my solo thing as Moonlover. Been doing that since 2017 or so,” Quang Dinh explains. The psychedelic solo project launched with Thou Shall Be Free in 2018, as recorded in Dinhs bedroom/personal oasis Pink Slime Studios in Footscray with the helping hand of John Lee. It sparked a pivotal change in Dinh’s career and exploration into his mad, romantic and dreamy sound.
FLOC
MusicLive

FLOC - 'Scared Me' (Be_Hear / Now)

FLOC’s amazing genre-bending music has culminated from a number of different inspirations, years of being involved in the scene and her involvement in workshops and networking events across the state. Finding a love for music back in school, Sarah started her journey into the music making world through learning an array of instruments.But as time progressed and Sarah began started making her own pieces and producing original content, she found programming instrument sounds into a synth came much easier than lugging around instruments from show to recording studios.
LASHES
MusicLive

LASHES - 'Heavenly' (Be_Hear / Now)

Taking her early love for electronic music Imogen Heap, early Ellie Golding, her practice in learning drums and her fascination with production having studied Audio Engineering after high school, Yohanna Bright crafts vibrant electro-pop power anthems under the sobriquet, LASHES. Stemming from her highly-commented upon physical attribute – distinctively long eyelashes – and combining it with a feisty attitude, Bright brings the contrast of the dual-meaning to her sound. The latter half of the wordplay is perhaps the reason for LASHES career to date. LASHES broke into the music scene right on the cusp of lockdown laws overtaking Victoria in early 2020 – a tumultuous time for the music industry. “The worst time. It was around March last year so I think we were going into a lockdown – it was right when it hit. It’s kind of a little bit ironic because I had been writing and planning for so long that the song I was going to release [‘Treason’] in March, I had recorded in 2018 and was getting everything cohesive and set up to release and go out with a bang and come out really strong and then the lockdown hit and it hasn’t really stopped. I’ve just been releasing songs throughout the lockdowns which wasn’t the plan to begin with but it’s just how it is.”
Juno Mamba
MusicLive

Juno Mamba - 'Heavenly' (Be_Hear / Now)

The music of Juno Mamba / Vinci Andanar is definitely an experience. Listeners are brought into his world through a plethora of unique electronic elements, most notably culminating from influences beyond the realms of music. “I get a lot of inspiration from everywhere, not just music. I get inspired by sportspeople and athletes,” he says. Vinci’s love of music started back in his hometown of Ballarat, which has undoubtedly helped breed some of our best musical artists in recent times. He notes that the town’s rich musical scene and bevy of talented individuals helped make it an easy choice to pursue a career in the arts. “Ballarat is one of the most talented, creative cities. I think being in a town with 110,000, it’s still a lot of people, but growing up, it seemed pretty small,” he says. “It’s probably every generation, but I feel like in my generation, there were just so many talented people. A lot of that had to do with The Karova Lounge in Ballarat. They really fostered local bands.”