SAHXL
19-year-old vocal prince SAHXL has been primed as one of Australia’s next breakout stars, teetering the line between R&B and Hip-Hop with brazen conviction, honest story-telling, and undeniable melodies. Having written and recorded music in his bedroom since the age of 12 as a form of self-expression – music quickly became an escape from everyday life and a way for SAHXL to feel connected. For SAHXL, music has long acted as an outlet built from necessity. “Music was the only way that I could find sanity through the things that were going on around me in my life,” he says. “I have always had a lot of energy built up inside, and I had nowhere to put it because I was very lost.”
SAHXL has earned praise from international tastemakers like Ebro Darden (Apple Radio) and fellow Australian star The Kid LAROI, and recently caught the attention of Tunji Balogun (CEO and President of Def Jam), inking a deal with the legendary LA-based label in late 2022.
SAHXL’s music traverses the human experience: Pain, trauma, happiness and all the emotions squeezed in between, delivered in an effortless style that blends punchier, staccato flows and elongated, oozy singing. By remaining true to his rollercoaster of emotions, SAHXL has formed a sturdy connection with his loyal fanbase. “I’m not trying to be a role model. I’m trying to be a real model,” he says. “I get people telling me that the music I’m making is helping them or influencing them in a way that’s uplifting them. That’s the energy that keeps me going.”
SAHXL released ‘C4’ in late 2021, a record produced by Sydney exports Khaled Rohaim (The Kid LAROI, Rihanna, Doja Cat) and HAAN (JUICE WLRD, The Kid LAROI, Trippie Redd). Showing flashes of pop prowess, the track showed SAHXL can cover plenty of bases with authenticity and versatility at the core of his output. He followed this up with ‘Pick Yourself Up’ produced by rising Australian producer Sid Mallick, and ‘My Mind’ produced by JofromYO.
At the age of 13, SAHXL caught the attention of APRA Billion Stream award-winning producer Khaled Rohaim (Rihanna, Polo G, The Kid LAROI, OneFour) and has been steadily ascending since. Hailing from the hip-hop hotbed of Western Sydney, SAHXL takes inspiration from his area, but not in the way you might imagine. “The area, the community, the generation around me, even outside the area that I live in; I see the exact opposite of what I want to see. I see separation, I see division,” he says. “I don’t see anyone standing up for something true or something that can inspire my generation and the generation after me to do better.”