Previous FOKI Stars – Where are they now?

Since performing at FOKI in 2020, Tom Richardson has continued to cement his reputation as one of Australia's finest independent singer-songwriters. His latest album, Promise of the Light, features songs including Can You Hear Her, Healing of the Heartbeat, Give Your Heart Away, Wildest Dream, Leave a Light and Somebody Say Love. Tom continues to tour extensively throughout Australia, performing at festivals, theatres and community events, where his combination of acoustic guitar, live looping and heartfelt storytelling continues to captivate audiences.

He's also regularly releasing live performances and music videos on his YouTube channel, keeping in touch with fans around the world. King Island clearly left a lasting impression on Tom, with the FOKI website still featuring his words: "King Island is simply magnificent. I strongly recommend you put it on your bucket list."

South Coast rockers The Spindrift Saga have enjoyed a productive few years. In March 2024 they released their long-awaited second album, Rubble and Stone. Although recorded in 2020, the band spent several years refining the album before its release, resulting in a collection of powerful tracks including Wrong Feet, Fight Night, Thrust, Hills, Botany Bay and Spindrift'n.

The band has since toured Australia in support of the album, including performances in Tasmania, while continuing to release new music. With more than 350 live shows under their belt and support slots for artists including The Living End, Thirsty Merc, The Rubens and Kingswood, The Spindrift Saga continue to build a strong reputation as one of Australia's hardest-working live rock bands.

Bobby Alu has gone from strength to strength since bringing his tropical blend of soul, reggae and roots music to King Island in 2018. His fourth album, Keep It Tropical, became his biggest success yet, reaching No. 3 on the ARIA Australian Albums Chart and topping the AIR Independent Label Albums Chart.

Now an internationally recognised performer, Bobby has spent 2026 touring Australia, Europe and the United States. His schedule has included appearances at major festivals such as WOMADelaide and the National Folk Festival in Canberra, while his Keep It Tropical tour has introduced his music to audiences across North America. Bobby remains one of the Festival of King Island's greatest success stories.

When Eastbound Buzz arrived on King Island in 2024 they were an emerging Melbourne indie-rock band. Since then they've steadily grown into a well-established name on the Australian independent music scene. Recent releases, including Come Around and It Gets Better, have been accompanied by extensive touring throughout Victoria, with appearances at venues including Cherry Bar, The Tote, the Bergy Bandroom and the Port Fairy Folk Festival. Their steady progression over the past few years shows no sign of slowing down.

Kim Churchill was already attracting attention when he appeared at the Festival of King Island, but his career has continued to flourish on the international stage. His eighth studio album, It's Lovely To Have You Here, released in 2024, received widespread praise and features standout songs including Hobbies, Reflecting and The Wayside.

Over the past two years Kim has toured extensively across Europe, North America and Australia, including support dates with Irish folk band Kingfishr. His distinctive blend of fingerstyle guitar, harmonica, stomp box and live looping continues to earn him audiences around the world. From his early days winning the Byron Bay Bluesfest Busking Competition to performing on international festival stages, Kim Churchill remains one of Australia's most respected independent musicians — and one of the many artists whose journey has included a memorable stop on King Island.