PORTRAITS IN THE GRASS
Secret Sounds Group
Portraits in the Grass was a bold, first-time content initiative developed and delivered by HOWL’s creative raconteurs (formerly Secret Sounds’ internal creative division). A behind-the-scenes, multi-platform series, it dove unbridled into the heart of Splendour in the Grass and its incredible festival lineup, running successfully for the last three years of Splendour’s reign as Australia’s premier live music experience.
The series was a multi-part, editorial-inspired exploration that captured intimate, off-stage moments with some of the world’s most compelling artists. Shot with a filmmaker’s eye and a documentarian’s instinct, each portrait unfolded as a cinematic vignette—part confessional, part cultural time-stamp—revealing the personalities, perspectives, and money-can’t-buy moments behind the performance.
At the heart of the project was a series of short-form, candid, and often unexpected conversations between artist and our writer–presenter–journalist–troublemaker: Izrayl Brinsdon. With a sharp eye for contradiction and a gift for disarming charm, Izrayl created space for truth, tension, and humour to surface—conversations that were as revealing as they were unrepeatable.
“The guiding principle should be dedicated to promoting the best art. I see music as more art than it is entertainment.”
- Topas Jones
The content was broadcast live throughout the festival, pipelined across social channels, and anchored on secretsounds.com. It was also tactically syndicated with like-minded cultural platforms—Monster Children, Pedestrian, and other editorial allies—extending its reach well beyond the grounds of North Byron Parklands.
Accompanying portrait photography was captured by Kane Skenner, one of Australia’s most respected fashion and editorial photographers. His gritty, densely lit, yet polished portraiture style added another layer of intimacy and craft to the series—culminating in a limited-run coffee table book and a broader post-event exhibition that extended the project’s life well beyond the festival weekend.
Across its multi-year run, Portraits in the Grass featured an eclectic and era-defining lineup of artists including Anderson .Paak, Bad//Dreems, Baker Boy, Ball Park Music, Bernard Fanning, Bishop Briggs, Client Liaison, Confidence Man, Dune Rats, DZ Deathrays, Eves Karydas, Father John Misty, Hockey Dad, Jack River, Kirin J Callinan, Kwame, Lil Yachty, Mallrat, Nyne, Ocean Alley, Royal Blood, Winston Surfshirt, Yungblud, and many more. Together, they formed a living archive of the cultural energy that defined Splendour at its peak.