We’re barely into the second half of 2016, but we’re already looking onward and upward to 2017’s early adventures – which means that Laneway Festival is sitting blissfully on the horizon.

A collection of the more niche artists bubbling on the blogosphere and stages across the world, Laneway Festival has consistently dedicated itself to genre-defying sounds – and it’s an ethos that’s won them consistent audiences since beginning in Melbourne, expanding nationally and eventually moving overseas. There’s been murmurs of who’ll appear on the 2017 lineup, but thanks to this interview from The Brag, it seems like we’ve received our biggest clue yet.

Soulful UK vocalist Nao has given a major hint about an upcoming Australian appearance, telling the Melbourne publication that “I think that I’ve been asked to do Laneway Festival in Australia, and that is really exciting for me. My band and I never thought we’d get this far, to be touring or have the opportunity to come out to Australia, and I’ve just got to find the money [laughs], but I think we’ll be coming out in January.”

Having received heavy praise from the likes of BBC and Pitchfork, Nao scored a high-profile slot on Disclosure’s last album Caracal, lending her pipes to ‘Superego’. Furthermore, her debut album For All We Know is being released this week, and it seems that the stars are aligning for her to hit an Australian tour with momentum. With her eclectic incorporation of everything from electronica to jazz, it seems like Nao will be right at home on Laneway Festival – and now that the floodgates have opened, let’s hope that more acts for the soiree are announced in the near future.

In the meantime, get familiar with Nao: