Part of a new wave reshaping Sydney’s independent landscape, MEGA FÄUNA step into 2026 with purpose. Their forthcoming album softmore, due March 19, follows 2023’s Fibonacci Sequins EP and finds the five-piece in a more defined, self-assured creative phase.
Formed initially by Tess Wilkin and Freyja Fox, MEGA FÄUNA began as an experiment in reimagining how bands come together. Rather than drawing from the same established circles, they sought out women who weren’t already embedded in the local scene, some of whom had never played in bands before. The result is a project shaped as much by intention as instinct.
Though its members also move through acclaimed outfits including The Buoys, Sweetie, Wiles and Skeleten, MEGA FÄUNA operates as its own ecosystem. Their sound blends melodic indie hooks with a distinctly local texture, drawing on a loose, contemporary take on Australiana without leaning into nostalgia.
As the band describe it, ‘heartbeat’ reflects on time’s steady motion and the strange comfort of a rhythm that persists regardless of mood or momentum. The song moves with that idea: a steady pulse beneath layered guitars and close-knit vocal interplay, capturing both the rush and the grounding force beneath it.
Since debuting in 2020 with ‘Jacaranda’, MEGA FÄUNA have built a loyal community following, bolstered by appearances at SXSW Sydney and King Street Crawl, alongside support slots for RVG, Otoboke Beaver and Body Type. Community radio rotation and more than 140,000 Spotify streams suggest momentum that has grown organically rather than overnight.
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