Words by Izzy Fay // Photography by Natasha Muhriz
Spilt Milk Ballarat 2025 gave us everything she had. Four seasons – mostly winter. A stacked lineup that didn’t miss, and the overpriced drinks we’ve come to know and love. I’m going to say it right now: Split Milk 2025 is my favourite festival I have ever been to, and I’m about to tell you why.
The Ballarat iteration of Spilt Milk had a pulse, and by and large it beat the hardest the moment Doechii appeared on stage. Her set was this kaleidoscope of chaos and control, with energy that felt electric in a way you could almost touch. As soon as she entered, the crowd was locked in. The highlight of her set was the remix of Angziety. She flipped it into a gritty, head-banging rock moment that somehow still honoured the original. Taking people by surprise in the best way, and hearing the crowd sing along to the song she sampled from was so good. Another standout was Alter Ego. Hearing a crowd of 40,000 scream “boom boom bitch you’re dead to me” felt like some kind of spell. You wouldn’t have to ask me twice to go back to another Doechii set.
About five minutes before Nessa Barrett takes the stage it starts bucketing down with rain. But in true Nessa spirit glides onto the stage on time and delivers a fantastic set. This was definitely one of the coldest sets of the day but in truth, rain during a Nessa Barrett set feels perfect. It captured the mood and that free, wild feeling of screaming her lyrics into the air. There’s nothing like the communal experience of freezing your ass off and singing along to some great music.
Then came Sofia Isella. She steps on stage radiating bad-bitch energy, her presence hitting the crowd like a wave. Watching her is like witnessing total artistic intention: every look, every move, every breath feels deliberate and honest. It’s rare to see someone so young command a stage with that level of certainty. And then she pulled out the violin – it’s not a common sound here at a festival, but the unexpected piercing sound was a fantastic addition.
Ninajirachi kept the ground vibrating with her set. Her energy is ridiculous – borderline illegal. Even when Ballarat tried to interrupt with a light sprinkle of rain, she didn’t miss a beat, delivering a set that was fast, loud, and unmistakably alive.
Finally, Rebecca Black gave us nostalgia with a wink, rolling out her dancers and delivering a set full of polish and playfulness. She has come a long way since her Friday days, and remains wildly slept on. I’m pretty sure most of the crowd went to hear Friday but left with a new favourite artist. She’s evolved far beyond her beginnings, but still knows how to feed the fans who’ve been there since the start.
Spilt Milk 2025 didn’t just showcase artists. It showcased evolution, surprise, command, and chaos. Every act brought their own flavour, their own drama, their own little corner of magic. And honestly? Ballarat did too… just in its own slightly soggy way.
