Meet Paulina & Tom

Round One of the StAArt Up Fund has officially wrapped — and it’s made waves across the Australian music scene, particularly among emerging artists. With over 100 applications from across the country, the response was incredible — and we’re proud to announce Paulina & Tom Thum as one of our three standout winners. Based in Meanjin/Brisbane, this genre-defying duo is made up of soulful singer-songwriter Paulina and globally renowned beatboxer and producer Tom Thum. After the viral success of their first collaboration "Focus on Me" — with over 8 million views across social media and 400K+ streams — it was clear their creative chemistry was something special.

Clothes are like art you get to wear — and now we get to put our art into something other people can wear too.” — Paulina and Tom, Round 1 StAArt Up Fund Winners.

Together, they’re breaking boundaries and bringing something fresh to the scene, blending pop, beatboxing, and acappella production into a sound that’s truly their own. Their upcoming EP promises to deliver that same magic — a powerful mix of raw vocals and innovative sound design. For both artists, merch is more than just a product — it’s part of the creative process. “It was such a surprise when we won this American Apparel comp. I guess now we’ve got to come up with a design,” laughs Tom.

Thanks to the fund, they’ll be receiving $10,000 worth of custom American Apparel® merch — giving them the opportunity to create high-quality pieces that represent their vision and connect with fans in a whole new way. Round Two is now open, so if you're an emerging Australian musician looking to take your creative vision to the next level with $10,000 worth of custom-printed merch, now’s your chance — apply now.

“Merch is just an extension of our art, really,” adds Tom.