VICE Spotlight: Dylan Atlantis

A couple of weeks ago – I think it was a Saturday night – I stumbled into a show at Sydney’s Lord Gladstone in a state of post-work weekend delirium. A showcase of sorts was being held: “Heartstoppers”. On the bill: Friday*, Felix Dame and Dylan Atlantis. 

The small gallery space up the stairs was filled wall-to-wall with a well-dressed, artsy crowd looking like they’d just fallen out of the pages of some underground fashion magazine – a little pocket of creativity and colour between the humdrum of suits in Sydney where young artists, taking the revamp of Sydney nightlife into their own hands, play to small but loyal crowds.

Dylan Atlantis was last, met at-end with calls for an encore for their dreamy ballad with slivers of grunged-up guitar, “Look At The Stars”. The crowd went wild: exactly the type of reaction any artist would hope for. The connection was obvious.

“My most important goal is to have my music be part of the big and little moments in people's lives,” Atlantis told VICE.

“All of my heroes and influences have created music that people are able to create memories to forever, whether it be at a party, at home, with friends, alone, weddings, literally anything and everything and that's why I love music so much.”

“I think to summarise, my big goal is human connection through music.”

After many months of trying to see them live, having heard her name around the Sydney musical circuit and through the power of social media, Atlantis’ on-stage presence has the tellings of an influential up-and-comer in Australia. 

That influence also comes from the help of the community behind her. Supergroups like Full Circle (Breakfast Road, Sollyy, Friday*, Zion Garcia and Nick Ward) have pivoted her into a scene changing the route of Australian culture and music, with half of them slotted into ACCLAIM’s all stars of 2023 and into the ears of tastemakers at music mags around the country. They’re also the minds behind “Heartstoppers”.

It makes sense for a population finally catching onto Gen Z’s internet sensibilities around genre; one that amalgamates countless scenes and relies solely on good music. Even Atlantis describes her tracks as “a mix of alternative indie and rock influences with a mix of RnB/ soul sensibilities.”

“There's a lot of reasons why I started making music but it's always been a huge part of my life so it was only natural for me to gravitate towards it,” she says.

“It's a massive emotional outlet for me. I hope, for the most part, people feel seen when they listen to my music.”

Follow VICE Spotlight on Spotify for a weekly rotation of some of Australia’s best upcoming artists. This week: Dylan Atlantis, FRIDAY*, DoloRRes, Saint Lane, Forest Claudette, SOLLYY, Naté Vibrations + more.

Follow Julie Fenwick on Twitter and Instagram.

Read more from VICE Australia and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, This Week Online.