Vincent Sebastian is a percussionist, music producer, and DJ who creates innovative music and arts-based experiences. He combines his unique musical taste, extensive performance experience, and drumming skills to provide transcendent experiences.
He is a PHD music candidate, and holds degrees in psychology, music and sound design. He is interested in the way music influences human psychology through its connection to ritual initiation, altered states, and collective experiences. He gives lectures and workshops about his research and details the insights developed from his extensive career in music and rhythm, and provides live presentations of his music.


Vincent is based in Sydney Australia and is of Latin American heritage. His career as a music producer, percussionist and dj is founded upon a vast depth of knowledge about his Latin American roots. His music incorporates Latin music, electronica, afrobeat, with traditional rhythms of his cultural background.
His accolades includes a vast career supporting artists such as Santana, Seun Kuti, Ricky Martin, Los Amigos Invisibles, Los Van Van, Katy Perry, and Earth Wind and Fire, and working at some of the most prominent local and international festivals. He creates innovative music events which specialise in global sounds, electronica, and and and live performance. He leads the innovative electronic music group OYOBI, which incorporates machine performance with folkloric rhythms and whose debut release was number #1 on the Traxsource Afrolatin charts. He has produced records and remixes for artists such as Pepe Citarrela (Italy), Jorge Montiel (UK), Myles Bigalow (Canada), Qvln (USA), Selomi (South Africa), Barrio Lindo (Berlin) and released music on various global labels such as Imagenes (UK), Prison Records (UK), Vamos (Fr), United Music (HK), Ocha Records (USA) and Atjazz Record Company (Uk). He was the in-house percussionist for the NTT band on the American television show 'Name that Tune' with Randy Jackson and Jane Krakowski, and is endorsed by some great brands including Toca Percussion, Wincent sticks and Protection Racket. He is also a PHD researcher whose work investigates music-based spiritual practices and their global development. This research is important for understanding how music practice produces transformative experiences, well-being, and knowledge, which Vincent explores in his own music performances and creative projects.
Vincent also manages the recording and production studio "The Nest", an inner city creative hub dedicated to providing music production, recording, and creative composition work. This space caters for an array of emerging professional projects, innovative musical works and collaborations. He is also the founder of XOOK, an online arts platform that initiates conversations with artists on diverse topics such as spirituality, culture, tradition, and art.
Extended biography
Vincent Sebastian is a music producer, percussionist, DJ, and creative entrepreneur that incorporates his passion for Latin folkloric sound and rhythm into his contemporary electronic music, art, and performances. This is most evident in the work of his music group OYOBI, which blends folkloric concepts, rhythm, and sound with modern machines and technology. This ideology is extended onto his music events and creative arts projects which showcase diverse diasporic music, art, and performance from the local Australian music scene. His events depict his passion for experimentation, collaboration, and originality which surfaces in his own compositions and in his collaborations with local artists and performers. This depth of interest stems from his study of the music of his heritage, depicted in his current doctorate work that investigates the music of ritual and its relevance for music performance and art.
Vincent has recorded on over 10 albums and is an original member of Aria Nominated band Watussi. He has toured alongside Santana and opened for Los Van Van, Earth Wind and Fire, & Sean Kutu, and regularly plays at Australia's most renowned festivals and venues such as Bluesfest, Vivid, and The Opera House. He has composed music and sound design for documentary, film, and corporate media such as Last Man Pictures, Trackdown, The Small Experiment, and Coast Modelling Agency.
He has played with renowned electronic producers Ron Carroll, Love Tattoo, Rob Vission, Sandy Rivera, Chuck Love, & Richard Earnshaw, and is DJ for major corporate events across Australia. Furthermore, his vocals appear on collaborative tracks with All Good Funk Alliance, Rephrase, Merenia Gillies, and Omegaman. He was the in-house percussionist for the NTT band on the American television show 'Name that Tune' with Randy Jackson and Jane Krakowski, and is endorsed by some great brands including Toca Percussion, Wincent sticks and Protection Racket.
He has toured internationally, appearing at the Rainforest Festival (Malaysia), Bogota Festival De Teatro (Colombia), Ulsan Festival (Korea), Osaka Kokolo Festival (Japan), NOMA (thailand), and Ku De Ta (Indonesia). He has also released his own club music productions on French label Vamos, London's Prison Entertainment and Imagenes Records. In 2015 he founded the band Roots Percussion Group and produced and mixed their first self-titled Ep . In January 2017 he released his first self-titled EP Satori on Uk label Imagenes Records.
Previously, he was responsible for establishing the successful Salsa club Club Havana and the renowned live music event Tatlers Underground Latin Jams. These projects are consistent with Vincent's love of Latin culture and electronica and a desire to extend this passion onto an Australian audience.
Vincent graduated with a Bachelor of Psychology and a Bachelor of Sound and Music Design (First Class Honours). His academic career has allowed him to further investigate Latin American folkloric and sacred music and its connection to human psychology through altered states and collective experiences. His honours research project explored Cuban Bata drumming, and culminated with an EP of original works. In 2016 he was awarded the UTS University medal for outstanding achievement for this work.
In 2017 he received a scholarship from the University of Newcastle to undertake a PHD that investigates Latin American ritual music, which he found was emerging in new forms of contemporary electronica . In this research he unites his vast academic and practical music experience to explore the psychological, technical, and aesthetic developments of ritual initiation and its connection to modern musical developments.




GIGS/SUPPORTS
Ricky Martin
Katie Perry
Santana
Earth Wind And Fire
Manu Chao
The Presets
Los Van Van
Suen Kuti & Egypt 80
Rob Vission
Sandy Rivera
Chuck Love
Ron Carroll
Gotan Project
Los Amigos Invisibles
FESTIVALS
Rainforest Festival (Malaysia)
Good Vibrations
Bogota Festival (Colombia)
Ulsan Festival (Japan)
Osaka Kokola (Japan)
The Great Escape
Blues and Roots Festival
Peats Ridge Festival
Bacardi Festival
Playground Weekender
Sydney Festival
Fringe Festival
Caloundra Festival
CORPORATE CLIENTS
Westpac
About My Brain
Macquarie Bank
JP Morgan
Commonwealth bank
Tony and Guy
Westfield
Fairfax
News Corporation
Merivale
Optus
Telstra
Vodafone
MEDIA
Sideshow
ABC Radio
FBI
Triple JJJ
SBS Radio
Sunday Social ABC
The Brag
The Drum
Japan Kokolo FM
PBS
2SER
Rhythm Magazine
The Australian
Selected Career Highlights
RECORDINGS
The Goods, Casandra, Remix, 2021, (Producer/ Remixer)
Milan, AYFA, Astral People, Remix, 2020, (Producer/ Remixer)
Oyobi, Transcendence, Atjazz Record Company ,2021 (songwriter/producer/mixer)
Translations EP, Oyobi, Imagenes Records, 2019 (songwriter/producer/mixer)
Vincent Sebastian, Satori EP, Imagenes Records, 2017 (songwriter/producer/mixer)
Vincent Sebastian, Tonights the Night, Prison Records, 2015 (songwriter/producer/mixer)
Tribalismo, Muevelo, Vamos Records, 2014 (songwriter/producer)
Roots Percussion Group EP, 2016 (songwriter/producer)
Watussi, Tequila, Sangre, Fuego, Album, 2007 (songwriter/percussionist)
Watussi, 1000% handsome, EP, 2011, (songwriter/percussionist)
Watussi, El Olvido, Album, 2011, (songwriter/percussionist)
Watussi & Jon Cleary (New Orleans), EP, 2014 (songwriter, percussionist)
Watussi, Tu Te Vas, EP, 2011, (songwriter, percussionist)
Merenia Gilles, Libertine, 2008, (songwriter, vocalist)
Andy Bull, Self titled EP, 2008 (percussionist)
All Good Funk Alliance, Avance, Super HiFi Recordings, 2010, (songwriter, vocals)
Omegaman, A bailar, Fort Knox Recordings, 2014 (songwriter, vocals)
The Posse, Bionic Moses, Ken Oath Records, 2017 (percussionist)
LOCAL PERFORMANCES
New Beginnings Festival, Oyobi, 2018
Google Festival, Supreme Drum Group, 2019
Sydney Opera House, Latin block Party with Los Van Van (Cuba), 2010
Sydney Opera House, Vivid Festival curated by Brian Eno, Watussi, 2009
Blues Festival, Watussi, 2012, 2014, 2015
Woodford Festival, Watussi, 2011
Womadelaide, Watussi, 2008
Vivid Festival, Watussi, 2015
Earth, Wind and Fire Concert, support, Watussi, 2014,
Santana Australia Tour, support, Watussi, 2011
Ricky Martin, Acer Arena, Percussionist, 2015
Sean Kuti and Egypt 80, support, Watussi, Metro Theater, 2012
Manu Chao, support, w/ Oscar Jimenez, Enmore Theater, 2013
Oxford Arts Factory, The Posse, 2017
Sydney Festival, Watussi, 2007, 2012
Sydney Festival, Reyes de la Onda, 2010
Sydney Festival, Tribalismo, 2012
Peats Ridge Festival, Watussi, 2011
Sydney Festival, The Speigel Tent, Watussi, 2008
Caloundra Music Festival, Watussi, 2011, 2015
Venue 505, Tina Harrod, Percussionist, 2016
SHE NYE w/ Ron Caroll, 2012
SHE NYE w/ Sandy Rivera, 2013
INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCES
Rainforest festival (Malaysia): Watussi, 2010
Bogota Festival De Teatro, Colombia: Watussi, 2010
Ulsan Festival, Korea: Watussi, 2008
Osaka Kokolo Festival, Japan: Watussi, 2009
Ku De Ta, Bali Indonesia, Groove Academy, 2015, 2016
Botanic gardens, Medellin, Colombia, Watussi, 2010
Bar Anonimo, Bogota, Colombia, 2010
Bar Comedia, Bogota, Colombia, 2010
Carpa Cabaret, Bogota, Colombia, 2010
La Casa, Sao Paulo Brazil, Tikki Tembo, Vincent Sebastian (percussionist) La bodega, Lima, Peru, 2010
TELEVISION APPEARENCES
ABC, Sideshow, Watussi, 2011
Katie Perry, X-Factor, Channel 7, Vincent Sebastian (percussionist), 2016
Kerri-anne show, w/ Oscar Jimenez, 2012
EBS Space TV, Watussi, Korea, 2010
KBS TV, Watussi, Korea, 2010
VIDEOCLIPS
Secalo, Watussi, 2015
Echale Fuego, Watussi, 2008,
Tu Te Vas, Watussi, 2011
AWARDS
Research Program Scholarship, University of Newcastle, 2017
University Medal for Outstanding Achievement, Bachelor of Music and Sound Design (First Class Honours) University of Technology, Sydney, 2016
Aria Nomination: Best World Music Album, Tequila, Sangre, Fuego: Watussi, 2008
RADIO APPEARENCES
Bare Necessities show, FBI Radio, March, Vincent Sebastian, 2017
Roots and All, Triple JJJ, Guest Host, 2012
ABC Radio National, Live Performance, Latin Block Party, 2010
Cocolo FM, Japan, Watussi, 2009
Ritmo, 2SER, Radio Presenter, 2010-2014.
Cubanismo, Eastside Fm, Radio Presenter, 2014-2016.
TEACHING/ WORKSHOPS
'Junkyard': Kids Percussion Creation Workshops, Casula Powerhouse, 2017
Afro-Percussion Workshops, Campbelltown Performing Arts High School Years 9-11, Aug/Nov 2016
Rhythm Workshops, Afro-Latino Festival, Casula Powerhouse, March 2016
Corporate Percussion Workshop, Commonwealth Bank, Hunter Valley 2014
Ancient Rhythms Percussion Workshops, Dance Central,Chippendale, 2011-2014
Percussion Workshops, Bellingen Music Festival, Bellingen, 2012
Kids Drumming Workshop, Children’s Deaf Society, Gladesville, 2011
Percussion Workshops, Rainforest Music Festival, Kuching, Malaysia, 2010
Percussion Workshop, Disadvantaged Schools Initiative, Blacktown High School 2010, 2011
Music and Drum Workshops, Glebe Town Hall, Glebe, 2009-2011
Afro-Cuban Music Workshop, North Sydney Community Center, North Sydney, Term 4, 2009
Team Building Music Workshop, Westpac, Sydney, 2004, 2005, 2007
Resident Music Advisor, Oxfam Youth Ambassador Conference, Parramatta, 2006
HOSTED EVENTS
Nuyorica, Venue 505, 2015-2016
Afro Experiments, Monthly Events, The Dock, Redfern & Tatler Darlinghurst, 2017
Tatlers Latin Jams, 2005-2010, Tatlers Darlinghurst
Club Havana, Lansdowne Hotel, 2000-2005
House of Horrors, Oxford Circus, 2016
Roots of the Favela, Camelot lounge, 2016
Tribalismo, Argyle, 2013-2015
Chicana, Tonic Lounge, 2013
Roots of the Barrio, venue 505, 2015