Montaigne
The voice of a new generation in Australia, at only 24, Sydney-based artist and activist Montaigne (born Jess Cerro) has become an important name in the indie music scene. The past few years have seen them recognized for their work: their original songs voted on to Triple J Radio's Hottest 100, an ARIA award for Best Breakthrough Artist and a nomination for Best Female Artist in 2016.Montaigne's debut album, Glorious Heights, produced by Tony Buchen, hit the charts at #4 and their second album COMPLEX was released in 2019 to rave reviews. Singles such as Ready gained extensive commercial radio play and propelled them even further as a household name. As Craig Mathieson of the Sydney Morning Herald put it, "Montaigne creates music that has a thrilling waywardness, baroque pomp and storm-the-stage energy".
Montaigne has just completed their third national tour, where they played some of Australia's biggest summer festivals like Splendour in the Grass, Lost Paradise, Woodford Folk Festival, Groovin the Moo, Party in the Paddock, Field Day and WOMADelaide. Having opened for international acts like Cindy Lauper and Blondie, the young performer continues to garner praise for their stunning live presence. "Their performance will go down as one of the best concerts of the year, without a doubt," wrote The Music of her most recent Sydney show.
The challenging and inspiring lyrics of Don't Break Me are reminiscent of the philosopher who inspired her moniker. With melodies to get lost in and the most energetic of live performances, Montaigne represents the next generation of artists who march to the beat of their own drum.