Australian singer/songwriter Luke Steele emerged around the turn of the millennium leading Perth-based indie rock band the Sleepy Jackson. A stylistically adventurous group as quirky as they were catchy, they enjoyed critical acclaim during the mid-2000s, after which Steele formed the ambitious electro-pop duo Empire of the Sun. With their grandiose mixture of cosmic glam and effervescent pop, Steele and collaborator Nick Littlemore vaulted themselves into the international mainstream with their multi-platinum 2008 debut album, Walking on a Dream. Steele's high tenor vocals, bold songwriting, and elaborate stage costumes were at the heart of the project's unique appeal, and he continued to build on his already eccentric reputation with two more LPs including 2016's Two Vines. In 2022, he began a solo career with Listen to the Water, which melded thoughtful acoustic songwriting with bright and dreamy synth textures.