News: Marlon Funaki brings his psych-rock sound to Australia for the first time in 2027

Los Angeles psych-rock artist Marlon Funaki is heading Down Under for the first time, announcing three Australian headline shows in February 2027. The multi-instrumentalist will bring his genre-hopping mix of psychedelia, indie rock, R&B and jazz to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

Sydney fans can catch Funaki at Oxford Art Factory on Tuesday 9 February, sandwiched between dates at Melbourne’s Corner Hotel and Brisbane’s Crowbar. It’s an intimate introduction to an artist whose profile has grown considerably beyond the bedroom where he first started recording.

Raised in Redlands, California, Funaki taught himself guitar, bass, drums and keyboards, building a makeshift studio in his brother’s bedroom. His early releases, including 2020’s The Universal Language EP and 2022 album Monterey Village, established his knack for blending woozy psychedelia, soulful grooves and guitar-driven indie without getting stuck in any one genre.

What began with self-funded tours and house parties has developed into sold-out headline shows across North America and the UK. Along the way, Funaki has appeared at Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, Austin City Limits and Ohana Festival, building his audience the old-fashioned way: getting out and playing.

Now signed to Warner Records, Funaki has kept the music coming in 2026, releasing the single Let You In in January and five-track EP HALF MOON in March. Both continue his exploration of hazy guitars, laid-back rhythms and psych-rock textures.

Australia is next on the itinerary, and with just three relatively small venues on the schedule, these debut shows offer a chance to catch Funaki up close before his next chapter unfolds.