ASTRAL-ology

Music and Astrology are portals into a deeper understanding of both our inner worlds and the world around us. This Vivid LIVE, we’re celebrating innovative and influential independent music company Astral People. Our cosmic comrades started as a humble artist management agency and have turned into a multi-armed music juggernaut, whose parties have attracted the attention of Thom Yorke and Elton John. 

In true Gemini season fashion, Astral People are channelling The Twins in full force this June, bringing us diverse and immaculate vibes with a massive line up of local and international acts for two huge nights of jazz, soul, hip-hop and R&B on the Northern Broadwalk. 

We've looked to the stars and sifted through planetary placements and lunar loops, to tap into the collective subconscious and discover the Astral People acts for you according to the wisdom of the cosmos.

ARIES

Dameeeela / Hoodzy

Being the first sign of the zodiac, it comes with no surprise that those represented by the symbol of The Ram do not shy away from leading – often, possessing bold qualities that echo a fiery nature (they are a fire sign after all). Whilst Aries can be known to be aggressive, they are above all, self-determined pioneers who are always up for a challenge.

So how would Aries get translated into music?

Check out Hoodzy. Described as an artist “who holds nothing back and pulls every punch”, Hoodzy’s music effortlessly embodies the essence of what it means to be an Aries, as she

assertively makes her way through the industry. After all, she’s here “to do something more aggressive and something more in everybody’s face; to say [she’s] here and [she’s] taking it seriously, to mark [her] place”. Ruled by the planet of Mars, Aries are blessed with the courage to be a warrior in life, evident in Hoodzy’s music.

Or multi-hyphenate DJ, producer, radio host and Yuggera woman dameeeela. 

As her epic track ‘The Shake Up’ titularly suggests, she’s here to shake things up. Not only does she make music that allows you to break a sweat on the dancefloor, she is also fuelled by her passion for “creating space and opportunities for First Nations people, while paying homage to the origins and founders of electronic music.” Proudly channelling the enviable Aries energy.  

TAURUS

Hiatus Kaiyote

If there is one thing you ought to know about a Taurean, it’s that they understand how to truly value the finer, sensual things in life. This makes sense, as Taureans are ruled by Venus, the planet that governs all things love and beauty.

Like their symbol The Bull suggests,  they are not ones to make hasty decisions, can be stubborn yet possess an extremely loyal, stable nature. They place deep value in the security that comes with the comfort of soothing environments, constantly seeking out what makes them feel at home. 

Enter Haitus Kaiyote.

The Australian neo-soul quartet, hailing from Melbourne recently released their album ‘Mood Valiant’ that has been nominated for an ARIA in the ‘Best Soul/R&B Release’ category. Labelled as a group known to be “global tastemaker favourites”, the album has been described as “intimate and romantic more than anything else”, in other words, music that feels like a warm, soulful hug - perfect for a Taurus.

GEMINI

Arno Faraji

Intellectually curious, quick-witted and playfully versatile, a Gemini will be sure to keep you on your toes. This sign is extroverted by nature, thoroughly enjoying the art of socialising. Boasting a never-ending list of hobbies and filled with boundless energy and drive, it’s understandable why this air sign is represented by The Twins, reinforcing the duality of their personality.

Perth based rapper and producer Arno Faraji fits the lively description of a Gemini perfectly.

Returning to the music scene with his first solo track in two years, ‘On the Move’, Faraji has delivered a “blissed-out, vibe-heavy cut that draws heavily on classic hip-hop and funk influences”. The music video sees Faraji offering variety in terms of visuals and sound, “pursuing a range of different career paths, including pilot, athlete, lawyer, superhero and astronaut.” Talk about showcasing the adaptable, flexible nature of a Gemini to a T.

CANCER

Bumpy

Represented by The Crab, Cancerians navigate through this world as their symbol suggests, between bodies of water and the shore, allowing them to exist both in the physical (shore) and emotional (water) world. Like The Crab, they are able to protect themselves with their shell and are known to gently retreat within when required.

Cancers are ruled by one of the two luminaries of the zodiac: the moon, which is often associated with the strongest maternal energy. As a result,  they are gifted with being naturally nurturing, highly intuitive and sensitive to both their own needs and others around them.

Known for her captivating and utterly sincere performances, BUMPY is a natural fit for this cardinal water sign. A proud Noongar woman who openly “delves into a world where vulnerability is power”, her debut track ‘Falling’ caught both national and international attention, with one listener describing it as a song that made them “feel every emotion.” Like a sponge, this water sign is here to soak up every feeling life has to offer.

LEO

S1mba / Youngn Lipz

King of the celestial jungle, a Leo is anything but shy. Represented fittingly by The Lion, these vivacious, authoritative and theatrical individuals are the champions of celebrating oneself.

In the zodiac, Leo is known to be governed by the sun – one of the two luminaries (the other being the moon). Due to this, they are seen as stable and consistent beings and, like its symbol suggests, these lions are gifted with courage, warmth, generosity and love to be admired.  

Life’s a lavish party for a Leo and the soundtrack is S1mba and Youngn Lipz.

Embodying feel-good summer vibes, S1mba is the Zimbabwean-born British rapper that you need to know about. Already making waves, he has garnered a Brit award nomination for ‘Song of the Year’ for his track ‘Rover (feat. DTG)’, which has also gone viral on TikTok for the #mulachallenge.

Pride and Leo go hand in hand and when it comes to Youngn Lipz’s upbringing, it’s something he remains incredibly vocal about, “I wear [my pride for South-Western Sydney] on my chest and that’s to the grave…I’m very proud of where I’m from and will always represent.” In fact, his debut album, Area Baby was named after where he grew up – “‘The Area' is what we call our hood, our ends”. 

S1mba’s hit single, ‘Rover’ ended up being remixed by Youngn Lipz, Hooligan Hefs and Hooks – their Leo energy remains unmatched.

VIRGO

Jitwam

Mercury in astrology is the planet of communication and intellect, and the ruler for the signs of Gemini and Virgo. Both signs however exhibit these traits in different ways, with Gemini’s communication style being like the element of air - external, and all-encompassing whilst Virgo’s is grounded like the element of earth - focusing their energy within, choosing to process every detail in a steady, meticulous manner.

Known as the ‘perfectionists’ of the zodiac, these individuals are known for their eagerness to help those around them in a practical manner. Fiercely committed to the task at hand, Virgos relish piecing together all pieces of the puzzle, turning life’s unique experiences into clear concepts that can be understood and enjoyed.

As his biography suggests, Jitwam is an artist of the mind, body and soul. “Utilising knowledge acquired through years spent digging through dusty crates, and talents honed as a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and vocalist”. Jitwam has created a name for himself as a world-class DJ and live performer. Every element of his sound reflects his nature as a “geographical and musical nomad”. 

The sign is represented by The Virgin/The Maiden, who is shown to carry wheat bundles in her hand – a nod to Virgos ' earthbound nature and eye for making pieces whole. Likewise, Jitwam is able to flawlessly combine varying elements to deliver a wondrous concoction of sounds. Incorporating his time in Northeast India, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, South Africa and the UK, his music will take you to a higher plane no matter where you are.

LIBRA

Jay1

Represented by the only inanimate object within the zodiac – The Scales, the sign of Libra is all about living harmoniously. Similar to Taurus, Librans are also ruled by Venus, the planet of all things love and beauty. Whilst Taurus’ earthy nature means they are more interested in aesthetics of the physical world, Librans, as their ruling element of air suggests, love to conceptualise love and beauty in all its forms.

Known as the most charming and stylish personality within the zodiac, Librans absolutely adore being around people and are known to effortlessly command any situation and diffuse conflict in a diplomatic and refined manner. 

Jay1 is a great match for these extroverted personalities, blending love, lust and moshpits into his music. Known as the natural flighty flirts of the zodiac, Librans can enjoy the light-hearted love themes present throughout the Coventry rapper’s lyrics, as he can be seen rapping “about the pursuit of girls and the champagne lifestyle”. And with his drill-inflected flow, Librans can be ensured an enjoyable performance.

SCORPIO

Briggs

If you were to pick the most passionate and mysterious sign within the zodiac, the answer would be Scorpio. Being one of the three Water signs, Scorpions are blessed with exceptional intuition, but what sets them apart is the intensity and power they apply to everything they do.

At first glance, this sign can often be seen as intimidating individuals, as their symbol of The Scorpion suggests, however, peel back a few layers and you’ll find that they are sensitive souls who value deep connections. Scorpions aren’t afraid to tap into the more uncomfortable conversations and darker sides of life, a trait that contributes to their enigmatic personality.

If you’ve ever come across Indigenous rapper and hip-hop game-changer Briggs you would’ve already felt the power of his lyrics. Sharing how far he has come due to trusting his gut instinct – a trait Scorpio carries with ease – Briggs has ensured that his music also paves the way for him to “deliberately build a legacy to empower future generations…establishing a platform for Indigenous creatives in [record label] Bad Apples.”

The rapper is a proud Yorta Yorta man, happy to let his music channel his passion and tends to keep his personal life more on the private side, known as a more “contemplative, low-key and shy” individual.

SAGITTARIUS

Munasib

Wildly optimistic, honest and adventurous, Sagittarians are free-spirited individuals that are arguably the funniest sign of the zodiac. Whilst they are light-hearted in their approach to life, make no mistake for Sagittarians are deeply philosophical and emotionally intelligent beings. 

Represented by the symbol of The Archer – half-man and a half-horse centaur – these fire signs are perhaps one of the most captivating and friendly people you could hope to come across at a party.

With this in mind, the rising star in Sydney’s dance scene, Munasib is the obvious choice for Sagittarius. Her mixes “blend Rap, RnB Global Rhythms and futuristic electronica with sleek confidence” – fun, unpredictable and a bit of everything!

CAPRICORN

Barkaa

If you had to bottle fearless ambition up, trust that it is a Capricorn that can show you how. These earth sign individuals motivated by duty and discipline, are often seen to prioritise their career and work to get the job done. Represented by The Goat, these dependable individuals value practicality, possessing the admirable trait of being able to figure out the most realistic ways to push through the challenges life may throw at them. This is a sign dedicated to the cause they apply themselves to, slowly but surely working towards their goal.

Malyangapa and Barkindji woman, BARKAA is an artist with a “fresh but singularly unignorable voice” that “represents her people. For the movement, for the culture, for the mob!”

The female rapper has made it her mission to contribute to the empowerment of sharing the uncomfortable truths of her life, from “overcoming addiction and when she was incarcerated, or setting the record straight on the past of so-called Australia.”

Like The Goat, BARKAA is seen to be able to climb even the steepest of mountains with patience and determination, despite whatever hardship is placed in front of them. Her recent,

debut EP Blak Matriarchy has seen her claim “the crown with fiery hip-hop that honours Blak women.” 

AQUARIUS

Mildlife

Individualistic to their core, an Aquarius’ biggest fear may possibly be blending into the crowd. This penultimate sign of the zodiac strongly places value on making sure they are

able to unapologetically be themselves and thoroughly enjoy delving into the more eccentric side of life.   

Notorious for being ‘too-cool-for-school’, you can always count on an Aquarius to introduce you to new, revolutionary ideas. Embodying The Water Bearer, this air sign is all about channelling open-ended spiritual energy, wishing to impart change on a macro scale for the betterment of humanity.

Melbourne-based, Australian psychedelic jazz fusion group Mildlife fit the enviably innovative nature of an Aquarius. Rolling Stone describes them as “an otherworldly force…one of those rare groups who manage to exceed expectations”. 

Their recent release Live From South Channel Island saw the quartet travel by boat to the artificial island of Port Phillip Bay. Here, they filmed an eight-song performance from their 2020 album Automatic, a body of work they encourage their listeners to interpret in their own way – linking back to an Aquarian's desire to both encourage and embody original thought.

PISCES

Yussef Dayes

The final constellation of the zodiac is none other than the two majestic fish that are home to the sign of Pisces. Being the last sign has allowed The Fishes to soak in every lesson present in each sign before them, making Pisces not only a transformative and wise personality but also one that is extraordinarily compassionate.

Like the element of water, a Pisces’ ability to immerse themselves in everything and everyone around them, seamlessly flowing through life’s tides, waves and currents, remains incomparable. Graced with clairvoyance, these dreamers can often be found floating in the safe haven of their larger-than-life imagination.

And the perfect daydreaming soundtrack would be none other than the soft, experimental melodies of Yussef Dayes’ music. His recent album, What Kinda Music has been described as one that delivers “music that listeners can simply enjoy, without thinking too hard about”. A masterpiece blend of sounds that will be a delight to a Pisces’ ears.