PORTRAITS IN THE GRASS 


Secret Sounds Group - Splendour in the Grass
Portraits in the Grass was a bold, first-time content initiative conceived 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. No script, no agenda, and no questions—just a good yarn with a few mates over a cold beer.



‘You know what why don't we play Tennis every Friday. Tennis Fridays we will call it’ and then basically we are at Wimbledon, that's basically what happened to us”
- Royal Blood





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 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.



‘Swedish pop minx ‘Tove lo’ is to be applauded for not succumbing to the music industry heavy hitters, and doing things her way (yes its cliche to say but she's a real one).’

- Izrayl Brinsdon



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.



‘To say Paul Kelly is a legend of our time is an understatement, the way that man carries him self, the respect he has earned and the respect he shows is refreshing completely mind blowing and something I will carry for decades to come. Australia owes Paul Kelly.’  

-Izrayl Brinsdon



‘With music i’ve always tried to have this tunnel vision, there really isn't anything that gives me more joy or more pain, for some reason to me that means absolute pure love for something where you really can't imagine yourself doing anything else other than it.’

- Bishop Briggs



“The guiding principle should be dedicated to promoting the best art. I see music as more art than it is entertainment.”

- Topas Jones

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.






We acknowledge the traditional land owners upon which we work and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land.

© Howl Pty Ltd | Version 3.0 | 2025