South Australia’s beloved WOMADelaide festival is officially back for 2025 and it’s bringing a veritable feast of international and home-grown acts.
For more than 30 years, WOMAD has been gathering the best of music, arts and dance from around the globe for their March event and, going by today’s first line-up announcement, next year’s edition will be huge.
Leading the first artist’s announced is legendary UK musician PJ Harvey who will return to Australia for the first time in eight years to perform on the festival’s opening night.
Harvey has promised tunes from her 10th studio album, I Inside the Old Year Dying, as well as songs from her extensive back catalogue.
German multi-instrumentalist Nils Frahm will also be making his way down under for WOMAD, bringing with him his eclectic talent for occupying the exact right space between electronica and classical music.
Portuguese Fado icon Mariza has shared stages with the likes of Sting and Lenny Kravitz, has 30 platinum records under her belt and will also be hitting the WOMAD stage in March.
He’s been dazzling audiences as a part of bands such as Sons of Kemet for years, but now master saxophonist Shabaka will bring his solo show to WOMAD, fresh off the release of his debut solo album, Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace.
Papua New Guinean-born, Sydney-based stunner Ngaiire will bless WOMAD 2025 with the premiere of her latest project, PAIA, which is being billed as a spectacular live performance and visual experience.
Other stand-outs include Khruangbin, the internet’s favourite wig-wearing jam band, who jet back over from Houston to headline Monday night, indie-folk supergroup Bonny Light Horseman and pre-eminent free-jazz ensemble Sun Ra Arkestra.
Warnindhilyagwa woman Emily Wurramara is bringing it home for local acts, fresh from multiple ARIA nominations for her 2024 album, NARA.
Speaking of ARIA-nominated artists, rap supergroup 3%, which is comprised of MCs Dallas Woods, Nooky, and Angus Field, are also on the line-up, following the release of their debut album, KILL THE DEAD, (which picked up four ARIA nods, no biggie).
On the local front, there’s also Andrew Gurruwiwi Band — the funk-laden north-east Arnhem Land eight-piece led by blind, keytar-wielding Yolngu elder Gurruwiwi — and Kenyan-born, Adelaide-bred rapper Elsy Wameyo (fresh from releasing her debut album, Saint Sinner).
Also on the bill is Miss Kaninna — the proud Yorta Yorta, Djadja Wurrung, Kalkadoon and Yirendali woman behind breakout hit ‘Blak Britney’.
Bringing it home for the dance portion of the festival, Bangarra Dance Theatre will present their first mainstage, cross-cultural collaboration, The Light Inside, which was created by Māori choreographer Moss Te Ururangi Patterson and Bangarra alumna Deborah Brown.
Here’s the line-up as it stands:
3%, 47SOUL, Ana Carla Maza , Andrew Gurruwiwi Band, Bala Desejo, Bangarra Dance Theatre — The Light Inside, Bonny Light Horseman, Chris Kamu’ana Rohoimae — Pacific Break winner, Cie Paris Benares — Chamôh (Camel), Delgres , DJ Paulette, Dream Engine — Heliosphere, Duo Ruut, Durand Jones & The Indications, Ela Minus, Eleanor Jawurlngali, Elsy Wameyo, Emily Wurramara, Etran de l’Aïr, Goran Bregović & His Wedding & Funeral Band, Hewa Rwanda, John Grant , The Joy, Khruangbin, Lindigo (Réunion), The Lofty Mountain Band, Majnun, The Mande Spirit, Mariza, Miss Kanina, Ngaiire, Nils Frahm, Nitin Sawhney (UK), • Norsicaa, O.TA.I.KO ZA MYOJIN, PJ Harvey, Queen Omega, Restless Dance Theatre — Seeing Through Darkness, Satish Vyas & U Rajesh, Shabaka , Silent Observers, Sun Ra Arkestra, Talisk, Trio da Kali, UPK Allstars, Wrong Way Up, and Yoann Bourgeois Art Company — The unreachable suspension point
WOMADelaide runs from Friday March 7 to Monday March 10. Tickets are on sale now.
