ZICO, Henry lead Sonica Music Festival, the new K-Pop festival coming to Melbourne

For one day only, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl will become an explosion of hard-hitting beats, catchy pop melodies and razor-sharp dance moves as Sonica Music Festival makes its debut on March 17 2023.

A celebration of Asian music and culture unlike anything Melbourne has seen yet and co-presented by CA&C and Arts Centre Melbourne as part of the annual Live at the Bowl summer series, SONICA Music Festival will bring some of the hottest K-Pop, Canto-pop and Singaporean artists to Australian audiences for the first time.

Sonica Music Festival Lineup

1nonly
Amber
Gareth.T
Gentle Bones
Henry
ZICO
+ Small FRY DJ

Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.

The inaugural SONICA Music Festival lineup features phenomenal K-pop artists including South Korean rapper ZICO fresh from the release of his 2022 mini-album Grown Ass Kid, violin-prodigy-turned-megastar HENRY most recently celebrating the release of his first single in two years ‘Moonlight’, and K-pop sensation AMBER, who first found fame as a member of f(x), performing live with her full band.

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Singaporean singer-songwriter and freshly minted Warner Music Asia signing GENTLE BONES – also the first Singaporean to be featured on Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia – joins the festival along with Hong Kong R&B and pop singer GARETH.T, whom VICE noted is “representing today’s generation while improving on the old guard [of Canto-pop].” Rounding out the lineup is Las Vegas-based rap wunderkind 1NONLY, whose series of viral hits has him edging on 1 billion Spotify streams at just 18 years of age.

Between-set vibes will be coming courtesy of Small FRY, whose weekly Triple R show Mooncake has become a staple of Naarm/Melbourne, celebrating diverse sounds from Asia, including Asian-Australian artists and music from Tokyo to Taipei, Seoul to Saigon, and more.

SONICA Music Festival will offer a fully immersive experience for fans, featuring a multitude of live experiences, Asian street food as well as a variety of market stalls by local Asian-Australian makers on site. As the sun sets, the stage will come to life with spectacular visuals and effects, making for a truly magical concert experience in Naarm/Melbourne’s iconic amphitheatre.

To learn more about Sonica Music Festival, taking place at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on March 17, head here.