Babitha is the musical project of Imogen Grist - a multidisciplinary Australian artist raised in country NSW to a backing track of Neil Young, ABBA and Gerry Rafferty. Babitha’s music explores themes of heartache, desire and escapism through soaring harmonies and shimmering, sun-kissed arrangements that blend alt-country, indie-folk and soft rock elements. Drawing comparisons to Aldous Harding and Weyes Blood, Babitha takes a melodramatic approach to the mundane - both surreal and sincere, commanding and detached. With a background in film and photography, Grist presents Babitha as a theatrical persona - an archetypal figure conjured through costuming. The visual worlds she inhabits are highly stylised, steeped in metaphor and mythology. For Grist, Babitha serves as a multidimensional framework for storytelling and self-exploration. Her debut album Brighter Side of Blue, released via Spunk in 2023, was met with widespread critical acclaim. It was named Album of the Week by FBi, 2SER and Edge Radio, and featured in Double J and NME’s Best Albums of the Year. Babitha’s live shows feature a rotating cast of collaborators including Russell Fitzgibbon (Skeleten), Cecil Coleman (Body Type) and Jordan Ireland (The Middle East). She has supported José González, Alex G, Julia Jacklin, King Stingray and Calexico, and performed at SXSW, Vivid, BIGSOUND, Phoenix Central Park and the MCA. Her forthcoming album, produced by Tony Buchen and set for release in 2026, embraces a broader sonic palette. Drawing on 80s pop and new-age aesthetics, it introduces atmospheric synths and sweeping orchestral flourishes, signalling a bold evolution in Babitha’s sound and vision. Imogen is also one half of Beth and Blue, a collaborative project with Marcus Index (Spookyland). Together they have showcased at SXSW and The Great Escape and will release their debut album late 2025.