Tash Sultana is a wonderful musician with a unique story and undeniable gift. From the streets of Melbourne, Australia, to festivals and stadiums around the world, this uncompromising artist has forged a path defined by creativity and determination. Sultana is mostly known as a singer-songwriter, but they’re also a skilled multi-instrumentalist and producer. Since releasing their debut single “Jungle” in 2016, Tash Sultana has released tons of great music and captured the attention of the world.
In this article, we’ll look at Tash Sultana’s career trajectory and review their recent — and rather amazing — Return to the Roots EP.
Who Is Tash Sultana?
Taj Hendrix “Tash” Sultana was born in Melbourne on June 15, 1995. At the age of just 3, Tash was given a guitar by their grandfather. This lit a spark in the budding talent, who fell in love with the instrument and all the fabulous noises it made. Music took over Tash’s world, and before long, the young artist started sharing their passion with the local community. By the age of 13, Sultana was performing at open mic nights across Melbourne and country Victoria.
Tash Sultana has always had a restless creative spirit. Having taught themselves more than a dozen acoustic instruments, they expanded into new territory by introducing electronics. The young musician became known as a groundbreaking looping artist, playing multiple instruments live and creating a rich tapestry of textures and tones. Sultana learned more and more instruments and started busking on the streets of Melbourne as a rocking one-person orchestra.
Early music career
The young musician started playing seriously with others around 2008, as the lead vocalist in the band Mindpilot. Playing with Patrick O’Brien, Emily Daye, and David Herbert, they won several Battles of the Bands competitions until they split in 2012. Sultana was now 17 years of age, and their solo musical vision was starting to take shape. Sultana released their debut recording Yin Yang in 2013, with this self-released digital download gaining them lots of early fans.
A few years later, in 2016, Sultana shared a video on social media of their song “Jungle.” This was their first viral moment, and it amassed over 1 million views within 5 days. This track helped Tash Sultana win Triple J’s Unearthed Artist of the Year award, an important stepping stone for many young Australian musicians. Their second single, “Notion,” also came out in 2016. Both tracks made Triple J’s Hottest 100 list. Around this time, Sultana revealed their gender identity as non-binary and gender fluid.
Both of these songs were released on Sultana’s second EP, Notion, on the singer’s own Lonely Lands Records. With two great singles and a six-track EP now available, Sultana started getting booked for some of the biggest festivals in Australia. From the iconic stages of the Woodford Folk Festival to the hipster havens of Southbound and St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, Sultana’s budding career was up and running.
World tours and global fame
With positive reviews and adoring fans in their homeland, Tash Sultana was ready to take on the world. Their viral videos were amassing millions of streams, and their new EP was getting noticed in far-flung destinations. Sultana announced a world tour to support these releases, including hundreds of shows in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. Their dad even resigned from his job to become a roadie on the tour, traveling the world to support his beloved child.
Sultana released “Murder to the Mind” in 2017, their first release since Notion. This was the lead single from their upcoming debut album, Flowstate, which also included the singles “Mystik,” “Salvation,” “Harvest Love,” and “Free Mind.” The album was released in 2018, followed by massive headlining shows in Australia. This was an important period for the singer, who was now recognized as one of Australia’s leading musical voices.
Sultana released three more singles in 2019, the standalone track “Can’t Buy Happiness” and two songs with other artists. “Talk It Out” with Matt Corby and “Daydreaming” with Milky Chance were Sultana’s first collaborative tracks, and they showcased very different sides of the artist.
Sultana’s second album, Terra Firma, came out in 2019, marking a new era of artistic growth. This was a more introspective period for the singer, who blended their famous textural voice with emotive lyrics and lush soundscapes. Sultana released the MTV Unplugged (Live in Melbourne) album in 2022, offering fans a different glimpse into their musical world.
Return to the Roots
In the last few years, Tash Sultana has released some of the best music of their career. The fabulous Sugar EP came out in 2023, which was supported by great singles like “James Dean,” “New York,” and “Bitter Lovers.” Sugar saw Sultana embrace their more experimental side, inspired by trialing medication for their ADHD.
Their most recent Return to the Roots EP was released earlier in 2025. The six tracks on this EP were also released in video format as “Live at Lonely Lands Studio.” This is a great way to experience the music, with Sultana delivering a raw bedroom-style performance. The live audio and video offer an intimate glimpse into Tash Sultana’s musical process. “This is the best record yet… Not because it’s perfect, but because it’s real. No overthinking. No chasing. Just music, in its purest form,” said Sultana.
The following tracks come from this extended player, and they showcase the wonderful sound of this great artist:
Milk & Honey
When this song came out, it was Sultana’s first release in more than a year. They were feeling pigeon-holed as a “looper” artist, and needed time to reinvent themselves as a linear composer. According to Sultana, “‘Milk & Honey’ is a return to their roots, to the beginning of why and how music made me feel in the first place when it was just ‘plug your shit in and jam.’ It was less structured and less focused on delivering a ‘hit’.” The overall sound is more mature, but the lyrics maintain Sultana’s trademark vulnerability.
Hold On
This is the second single from Return to the Roots, and it’s an incredibly powerful offering. “Hold On” is a defiant anthem delivered with raw honesty, as emotional exhaustion transforms into anger and strength. This song is about the recent cancer diagnosis of Sultana’s wife. The singer says, “Some moments change everything. ‘Hold On’ is for my wife. It’s for anyone who’s ever had to find strength when life pulls the ground out from under you. Hope this one reaches whoever needs it.”
Ain’t It Kinda Funny featuring City and Colour
This is the third single from the extended player, following “Milk & Honey” and “Hold On.” On this track, Sultana teams up with Canadian singer-songwriter City and Colour. Amazingly, this track was originally written by Sultana as a teenager, when they were deeply inspired by Jeff Buckley, Bon Iver, and City and Colour themselves! The song has been re-imagined, reflecting where Sultana came from and how their journey continues. Fundamentally, this beautiful song is about time, how it goes by so fast, and why life gets better with age.
Return to the Roots tour dates
Tash Sultana is going on tour later this year to support Return to Roots, with shows already announced for South and North America. The following dates have been confirmed:
- November 4, 2025 at Circo Voador in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- November 5, 2025 at Audio in São Paulo, Brazil
- November 7-8, 2025 at Fauna Primavera in Santiago, Chile
- November 12, 2025 at Auditorio BB in Mexico City, Mexico
- November 14, 2025 at The Novo in Los Angeles, USA
If you want to check out Tash Sultana in person, keep your eyes on their website for updates. If you want to discover their music or dive deeper into their catalog, all releases are available on physical media or via major streaming platforms.