Velvet Trip

Velvet Trip
Origin	Sydney, Australia
Genres	Psychedelic pop
Members	Zeppelin Hamilton
Website	www.velvettripband.com

Velvet Trip is the project of Wiradjuri artist Zeppelin Hamilton, born and imagined on Gadigal Country, Sydney, Australia. Blending psychedelic rock, indie pop and soul, Velvet Trip is led by Hamilton as vocalist, guitarist, producer and songwriter, and performs live with a full band.

Background and career

Velvet Trip is led by Zeppelin Hamilton, a Wiradjuri multi-instrumentalist, singer, producer and songwriter, who fronts the project as vocalist, guitarist and producer. Emerging from Sydney, Velvet Trip gained early attention as a triple j Unearthed feature artist and as a winner of the triple j Unearthed x NIDA competition, and Hamilton was selected for Mushroom Group's First Nations Pathway Program in 2023.

The debut album Harmony Blooms, released on 9 February 2024, reached number four on the ARIA Blues and Roots chart, with singles including "It's Only Human", "Silly Boy", "Electric Dreams" and "Moving On".

2025 was Velvet Trip's breakthrough year, anchored by the campaign around the Glimmers EP. Its single "The Bends" became the highest-charting independent Australian release on the Australian Shazam chart at the time, and Velvet Trip finished the year as the number one most-played artist on triple j Unearthed for 2025. That momentum converted into a run of major live moments across the same year, including support slots for Djo and Parcels, a performance at triple j's One Night Stand, and a sold-out headline show at the Sydney Opera House (Utzon Room) on the Glimmers tour.

In 2026, the album Glimmers Continued debuted at number five on the ARIA Australian Albums Chart and was named a triple j Feature Album. Velvet Trip has been featured in NME, The New York Times (T Magazine) and Russh, and NITV described the project as "breaking new ground in Blak music". The band has performed at festivals including Byron Bay Bluesfest (2024 and 2025), Yours & Owls, BIGSOUND, SXSW Sydney and the National Indigenous Music Awards.

Musical style

Velvet Trip's music blends psychedelic rock, indie pop and soul, shaped by Hamilton's world-building production and unguarded songwriting. The project pairs expansive, psychedelic sonics with deeply personal narratives, and has been recognised for reshaping contemporary Australian sound through a distinctly First Nations lens.

Discography

Albums

• Harmony Blooms (2024)
• Glimmers Continued (2026)

Extended plays

• Velvet Trip & the Six Moon Skies (2019)
• Glimmers (2025)

Awards and recognition

• Number one most-played artist on triple j Unearthed, 2025
• 2026 APRA AMCOS Professional Development Award
• Glimmers Continued — number five, ARIA Australian Albums Chart; triple j Feature Album (2026)
• Harmony Blooms — number four, ARIA Blues and Roots chart (2024)
• "The Bends" — highest-charting independent Australian release on the Australian Shazam chart at the time
• Ambassador, Australian Music Venue Foundation and MusicNSW