Executive Overview
Sydney, Australia — In a defining moment for the Australian independent music landscape, Velvet Trip—the dreamy, kaleidoscopic psychedelic-pop project helmed by Wiradjuri singer, songwriter, and producer Zeppelin Hamilton—has signed an exclusive global publishing agreement with BMG.
The landmark deal cements a runaway 12-month period of critical and commercial momentum for the artist. Driven by a rapidly expanding international fanbase, standout festival appearances, and consecutive charting successes on the ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) charts, Velvet Trip has rapidly transitioned from a beloved underground secret into one of the most compelling exports of the Southern Hemisphere’s alternative scene.
For BMG, the signing represents a calculated investment in an artist sitting squarely on the precipice of international breakout success. According to leadership within the global publisher, the decision to sign Hamilton was unanimous across all four members of BMG’s Australian A&R team—a rare feat that triggered an immediate acquisition of the project’s publishing rights. As Velvet Trip prepares to integrate into a world-class roster that features iconic acts like Neil Finn, Jet, and Ladyhawke, the partnership offers a vital bridge to take Hamilton’s transportive, retro-futuristic soundwaves to global audiences.
Detailed Chronology of a Breakthrough Year
The BMG global publishing agreement serves as the crowning achievement of a meticulously built, multi-year upward trajectory for Zeppelin Hamilton. The timeline of Velvet Trip’s ascent is defined by a series of escalating milestones across recording, broadcasting, and live performance.
The Foundation: Harmony Blooms (2024)
Velvet Trip’s arrival on the national stage was formally announced with the release of the project’s debut full-length studio album, Harmony Blooms. Melding shimmering 1970s analog aesthetics with contemporary dream-pop textures and deeply personal lyricism, the record resonated immediately with discerning listeners and music critics alike. Harmony Blooms defied industry expectations for an independent debut, surging up the national rankings to peak at No. 19 on the ARIA Albums Chart in 2024. The record established Hamilton as a master of mood, texture, and melodic craftsmanship, laying the groundwork for a burgeoning national following.
Critical Acclaim and Chart Triumph: Glimmers Continued (Early 2025 – Early 2026)
Building upon the foundation of his debut, Hamilton returned with his sophomore LP, Glimmers Continued. The album pushed Velvet Trip’s sonic boundaries further into cinematic, technicolor realms.
In February, the momentum culminated in a pair of major victories. First, Hamilton received an APRA Professional Development Award, a prestigious accolade recognizing the creative achievements and undeniable future potential of emerging Australian songwriters. Shortly thereafter, Glimmers Continued secured the coveted Feature Album treatment on national youth broadcaster triple j, catapulting the project into heavy rotation across the country.
The broadcasting support translated directly into commercial success. Glimmers Continued debuted at No. 33 on the all-genres national ARIA Chart, while also securing a striking No. 5 placement on the Australian Artist Albums Chart, proving that Hamilton’s sophomore effort possessed both critical weight and enduring commercial pull.
The triple j Unearthed Sweep
Further cementing his cultural footprint, Hamilton triumphed in the triple j Unearthed x NIDA competition. Winning the coveted spot earned Velvet Trip a high-concept, professionally produced music video for the standout track "Burnin’ Up," brought to life by National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) student directors and designers. The synergy between Hamilton’s visual identity and musical output resonated so deeply with audiences that Velvet Trip closed out 2025 as the most-played artist across the entire triple j Unearthed platform.
Supporting Context & Metrics: The Anatomy of an Independent Force
While digital streaming metrics and chart positions paint a picture of recorded success, the true lifeblood of Velvet Trip remains Zeppelin Hamilton’s commanding presence on stage and his active advocacy within the Australian music community.
Live Performance and Festival Dominance
Hamilton has methodically cultivated a reputation as a must-see live performer, translating the intimate, hallucinatory warmth of his recorded tracks into electrifying stage productions. Velvet Trip has headlined and sold out prestigious rooms across the country, including:
- The Utzon Room at the Sydney Opera House
- Melbourne’s historic Northcote Social Club
Beyond headlining successes, Hamilton has been handpicked to support a diverse array of critically acclaimed international and domestic touring acts, including Djo, Parcels, Ocean Alley, and Middle Kids.
Furthermore, Velvet Trip’s festival footprint has expanded exponentially. Hamilton has graced the stages of Australia’s most treasured music gatherings, including:
- Bluesfest (Byron Bay)
- Yours & Owls (Wollongong)
- triple j One Night Stand
- Party In The Paddock
- The National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs)
Community Leadership and Advocacy
Away from the recording console and the touring circuit, Zeppelin Hamilton utilizes his platform to support the ecosystem that nurtured his career. As a proud Wiradjuri artist, Hamilton serves as an official ambassador for both MusicNSW and the Australian Music Venue Foundation. In these roles, he acts as a vocal advocate for grassroots live music spaces, independent touring circuits, and the empowerment of Indigenous creators within the modern Australian music economy.
Official Statements and Industry Reception
The announcement of the global publishing deal has generated waves of enthusiasm across the international music publishing community, highlighting the high regard in which Hamilton is held by industry veterans.
Zeppelin Hamilton on Joining the BMG Roster
Reflecting on the partnership, Hamilton expressed a profound sense of validation and excitement regarding his future under the BMG umbrella:
"I’m honored to be working alongside the amazing team at BMG across the globe. I’ve been a huge fan of their roster from afar for many years, so it’s a real pinch-myself moment to now be partnering with them and to be considered alongside the world-class artists they represent."
While financial terms of the agreement remain confidential, the structural backing of a global publisher like BMG provides Hamilton with invaluable sync licensing, international co-writing opportunities, and administrative support as he eyes overseas expansion.
BMG Leadership on the Unanimous Signing
For BMG, signing Velvet Trip was not merely a routine acquisition—it was an instinctive, unanimous decision driven by every tier of the publisher’s regional A&R department.
Heath Johns, President of BMG Australia, New Zealand, and South-East Asia, emphasized the rarity and certainty surrounding the agreement:
"All four members of our A&R team independently put Velvet Trip on the BMG radar, and when it’s unanimous, we sign immediately. Velvet Trip is on the verge of a major breakout. The songs are all incredible, the live show is world-class, and Zepp is the type of artist who commands attention wherever he goes. The whole team is beyond hyped to take this incredible music to the world."
With this partnership, Velvet Trip steps into a distinguished global and regional BMG publishing family that features iconic Australasian and international creatives, including Neil Finn, Young Franco, KLP, Jet, Keli Holiday, The Cat Empire, What So Not, Ladyhawke, and Bag Raiders.
Future Outlook: Taking Psychedelic-Pop to the Global Stage
As the dust settles on a banner year marked by ARIA chart success, APRA recognition, and now a global BMG publishing deal, Zeppelin Hamilton and Velvet Trip are standing at an obvious crossroads of transformation.
The immediate horizon holds boundless potential. With BMG’s sprawling international network now backing his songwriting catalog, Hamilton is uniquely positioned to take his sun-drenched, introspective brand of psychedelic-pop out of the Southern Hemisphere and into key international markets across North America, Europe, and Asia.
For an artist whose career has thus far been characterized by organic growth, community advocacy, and an uncompromising dedication to craft, the BMG partnership does not signal a departure from his roots. Rather, it provides the ultimate sonic springboard—propelling a distinctive Wiradjuri creative voice onto the world stage, ensuring that Velvet Trip’s good vibrations will echo far beyond the shores of Australia for years to come.
