In 2022, organisers of an Australian music festival were called out for a lack of diversity in the line-up. When confronted about it, they stated there was not enough talent among female and non-binary acts, which they considered “the best of the best” for their event.
Music writer Ellie Robinson thought it was “absolute BS.” So she made a list of nearly 160 artists to prove the promoters wrong. But instead of shoving it into a cupboard for posterity, she and her creative counterpart took matters into their own hands. That’s partially how TRANSGENRE festival was born.
But there’s much more to this story. So I caught up with Ellie to go behind the scenes of staging this unique music event, which shines a light on the trans and non-binary music community in the Land Down Under.
PART 262 OF “AM I EVER GONNA SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN?” A RANDOM COLLECTION OF UNKNOWINGLY OBVIOUS FACTS ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN MUSIC SCENE
Ellie Robinson (she/her) is the co-director and social manager for the TRANSGENRE music festival. Originally from Gadigal Land/Sydney, she’s now based in Naarm/Melbourne, where she feels very welcome by the trans and non-binary community.
But, until recently, her primary gig in the music industry was slightly different. Ellie is a music writer and editor who has collaborated with prominent local and international music publications, like Purple Sneakers, NME and The Blunt Magazine. She also went from Editorial Intern to Staff Writer, then Editorial Assistant, Editor, and finally Editor At Large at the Australian Guitar Magazine – a professional journey that few people boast on their CVs.
Yet, she claims that at the beginning of her professional journey, she “wanted to organise music events”. And for the last few years, she’s finally been able to do just that.
When we catch up on Zoom, she paints a pretty comprehensive picture of the road to the event that has now become a flagship music festival.
2023 marks the year when “a little joke”, as she calls it, between her and a dear friend, FVNERAL‘s vocalist and guitarist, Tay Blunt (they/them), and now the festival’s co-director, too, turned into a pretty serious undertaking. In December that year, the “shut up and do your own festival” response they’ve been getting from promoters led to TRANSGENRE Volume I, which took place at The Red Rattler in Gadigal Land/Sydney.
I covered the festival’s launch announcement on this blog, closing the post with the hope that it would become a recurring music event on Australia’s festival map. Which it did! The first two editions were sold-out events, earning rapturous acclaim from the local community.
They were followed up by a little side project in February 2026. The ‘Euphoria Month‘ concert series delivered four free shows to the historic Metro Theatre.
Today, TRANSGENRE is still the largest grassroots initiative celebrating trans and non-binary voices in Australian music. And I’m stoked to report that the main event is returning in May 2026 for Volume III, with a few surprises.
During our virtual chat, Ellie already confirmed that for the third edition (and the next one, too, actually), the festival would be heading interstate. This time, it’s good news for punters based in Kaurna/Adelaide. On Saturday, May 23, 2026, the all-ages event will kick off at noon at the UniBar.
But there’s more good news. For the first time in the festival’s history, tickets are free! Which doesn’t actually mean you shouldn’t secure yours already via Moshtix or the TRANSGENRE channels. I’m pretty sure they’re in high demand – the line-up is sick!
I remember Ellie mentioning that if I was happy with their Volume I and II band choices (which were headlined by Cry Club and flowerkid, respectively), this bill surely wouldn’t disappoint me, either. So see it for yourself:
As explained by the festival’s co-directors: “Right now, the state of play for trans people around the world is absolutely dire. In a time when it is frankly exhausting just to live in a world so hellbent on hurting us, community action has never been more vital. Campaigns and protests are essential to that, but so too are opportunities for us to unite and experience joy, appreciate each other’s presence and celebrate our one-of-a-kind talents. We aim for TRANSGENRE to be a conduit for that joy.“
For Volume III, Ellie and Tay are collaborating with local community leader Lucy Solonsch (she/they). It is made possible thanks to the Department of Human Services SA, with funding for the event coming by way of their Social Impact grant program. Additionally, the exceptional crew behind Adelaide’s mainstay Feast Festival is helping the TRANSGENRE team realise their vision.
Because making it happen as a DIY event does come with its challenges. Ellie walked me through some key aspects and lessons learned during our conversation. Like, how downscaling lofty ambitions saved Volume I.
We also chat about the festival’s predecessor, which the TRANSGENRE team learned about only while staging their first edition. Ellie shares her thoughts on mandatory quotas when programming artists from specific niche communities. And finally, she reveals the name of her act – if she were ever to record and release something, that is.
So while you’re waiting for the festival’s Volume III in May, check out the interview with Ellie Robinson on the Silly Talks Music podcast.
Here are a few more Aussie music events celebrating women and gender-diverse people:
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Gold Coast’s Undertone Festival amplifies underrepresented voices by dropping an all-female and non-binary line-up
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Meet ‘One of One’ – a not-for-profit charity celebrating women and GNC people in the Australian music industry
How many women do you know working in the music business? Are they recognised and praised by industry leaders? And do they normally shout about their achievements from the rooftops? Studies show that women brag less at work than men and are also less inclined to self-promote. That’s why One of One is such a…
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