Pioneers of the Australian drill wave in 2019, Mt. Druitt's ONEFOUR have had one of the most meteoric rises of any Aussie rap group before and after them.
Bursting into the scene with their releases 'The Message' and 'Spot The Difference', the only thing more undeniable than their talent is the challenges they have had in their career. In 2020, they released their debut EP 'Against All Odds', which peaked at #7 on the ARIA charts – their journey is nothing short of iconic.From international features with the likes of The Kid Laroi, A$AP Ferg, Headie One and DJ Carnage, to a Netflix documentary being released last year – the Western Sydney group has continued to be a force to be reckoned with.
From constantly having shows shut down by the police to line-up changes, one thing is for sure, they have not let any of these roadblocks stop them from moving for.
With an Australian and New Zealand tour currently under way after recent performances in Bali and at Rising: Melbourne, 2024 is set to be the biggest year for ONEFOUR yet.
After your set at RISING and performing in Bali, how does it feel to be able to just get up there and perform your music?
It's been amazing, to be honest with you. Bali was hectic, we weren't sure what to expect with it being an international show, but it was a great turnout and the energy from the crowd was on-point. Our Melbourne show for Rising festival was sick, it felt great to finally be performing music from our catalog to our fans after they've waited so patiently.
With this upcoming tour, are you facing the same heat and obstacles with booking shows and being able to perform as you did previously?
I feel like we're always going to attract scrutiny from the authorities based on who we are and where we come from. But we're looking forward to being able to show the world that we can put on high-energy shows where everybody comes together to enjoy the music in a safe manner.
What are you most looking forward to with this upcoming tour run?
You've gotta keep in mind that, even though we've been making music for some time, we've had only limited chances to be able to perform our music for our fans and hear them scream the lyrics back to us.
The vibe in the room in Melbourne at Festival Hall was next level. We're just looking forward to recreating that vibe across Australia and New Zealand.
Since the documentary came out, have you noticed any shifts in attitudes towards ONEFOUR? Whether it be from those outside your normal fanbase or even the wider music industry?
Honestly, we don't pay too much attention to how other people feel about us.
It did feel good to have our story told on a platform like Netflix, it was a global release too, so the documentary was available in like over 100 countries or something like that. It's funny being stopped in the street by older people who say they've seen us on Netflix and that they support us. But we just keep it moving.
The purity of your music comes from lived experience; has the past few years of all the setbacks, notoriety and just overall navigating your lives changed the way you approach creating music?
Music has always been a way for us to escape drama and negativity. If anything, the last few years, the various ups and downs we've faced, reinforces how much we rely on making music as an outlet.
You've been dropping a few singles here and there over the last few years, are there any plans for an extended-release?
We're putting the finishing touches on our debut album. We'll have more to say on that in coming months, but it's been something we've been working towards our entire careers thus far.
How about international – you've played Bali and you have Aotearoa coming up; any plans beyond?
Yes. We'd love to get back to South East Asia after our experience touring in Bali. There's a few other things we have in the works, but can't speak on them just yet. Our mindset has always been global with this sh.t.
Being trailblazers in the industry and doing something nobody has done before means that it can be hard to get the right kind of advice or guidance – what are some of the biggest lessons you've learnt over the last few years?
The biggest piece of advice that we can offer anyone is that, in this game, patience is required. Nothing worth having comes easily. The road ahead is always going to be harder than you think it will be. But stay down and remain focused.
ONEFOUR 2024 Tour Dates
Fri 5 Jul - Metropolis FremantleSat 13 Jul - The Tivoli (Brisbane)
Fri 2 Aug - Hindley Street Music Hall (Adelaide)
