The northern hemisphere may have declared the end of brat summer, but it is now coming to Australia and New Zealand: Charli xcx is headlining the 2025 Laneway festival.
The British pop star’s inclusion in the lineup had been feverishly speculated after Laneway billboards in the style of the cover of Brat, Charli xcx’s latest album, appeared in cities around Australia. The music festival also shared a teaser poster that included a green apple, mirroring the album’s viral hit Apple.
After it became the most talked about album of the year, Brat’s lime-green hue was widely co-opted, including by Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign. A spokesperson for Laneway said that several Australian landmarks “will turn Brat green” this week to promote Charli xcx’s appearance at the festival.
Other artists on the 2025 Laneway lineup include Australian rock band Skegss, British singer Beabadoobee, US singer-songwriters Clairo and Remi Wolf, the Scottish DJ Barry Can’t Swim and Northern Irish electronic duo Bicep. Matt McBriar, one half of Bicep, revealed last year that he was in recovery after receiving treatment for a “large and pretty rare” brain tumour.
Laneway festival, initially an indie music event held in Melbourne’s Caledonian Lane in 2005, has expanded across Australia and into New Zealand over the last two decades. Often regarded as a “taste-making event” that would book emerging artists, then up-and-coming acts who have performed at Laneway over the years include Gotye, the XX, Alt-J and Florence + the Machine.
Organisers said a third of the artists on the 2025 lineup had never toured Australia before. These include British pop-soul singer Olivia Dean, hip-hop duo Joey Valence and Brae, US electronic band Fcukers and British dubstep DJ Hamdi.
Australian acts include Brisbane band Girl and Girl, and DJ Ninajirachi, with more names to be announced in the coming weeks.
Laneway’s programming coordinator Ruby Miles called this year’s lineup “my favourite Laneway lineup we’ve ever put together”, adding: “Having Charli xcx as our headliner is a dream come true.”
Laneway begins in Auckland on 6 February, before heading to Brisbane (8 February), Sydney (9 February), Melbourne (14 February), Adelaide (15 February) and Perth (16 February).
Presale registration has opened, with a 24-hour presale beginning on 15 October at 10am AEDT. General sales begin on 16 October at 10am.
