Afropop star leads expanded WOMAD lineup
WOMADelaide has announced 25 more artists joining its 2025 lineup, including local talents, art installations and street theatre.
Nigerian Afropop singer, actor and activist Yemi Alade leads today’s WOMAD announcement, joined by Grammy-nominated reggae/dancehall star Protoje & The Indiggnation and 90s hip-hop trio Digable Planets.
They join the 48 previously announced artists, including PJ Harvey, to take to the stage in Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla at the March festival next year.
Homegrown talent on the lineup includes Bousta and Meena De Silva, recent graduates of WOMAD’s program with the Northern Sound System Academy – a nine-month professional development program for First Nations and culturally diverse artists under 30.
Bousta is an Eastern Arrernte hip-hop artist who raps in English and Arrernte, and told CityMag in August the atmosphere he wants to create at his gigs is “hyped, fun and inspirational”.
Bousta says his influences are “Method Man with his unique flow, Tupac with his storytelling and Biggie with the attitude”.
Meena is a Sri Lankan-Australian pop/RnB artist and says going through the WOMAD x NSS solidified her belief in herself and her music.
“Knowing there are programs like this one to help elevate emerging artists is wild, and it’s honestly changed the trajectory of my life,” Meena says.
“I’m so excited to get up on the stage with my band at WOMAD 2025 and perform my own songs at a festival this distinguished and well-known.
“From watching one of my favourite artists – José González – this year, to performing my own songs at WOMAD next year – that’s something I’m still coming to terms with.
“I’m also so excited to be on the same lineup as artists I adore, like Emily Wurramara and Khruangbin!”
Meena De Silva.
Other locals announced today for WOMAD 2025 are Filipino-Italian musician Kara Manansala, Malawian-Australian singer-songwriter Ms Chipeta and blues trio Dojo Rise.
Dusty Lee Stephensen, who you might recognise from The Wanderers or Adelaide Fringe’s hit show 27 Club, brings his solo guitar-led project Dustyn to WOMAD.
Critically acclaimed Adelaide actress Tilda Cobham-Hervey has created an installation called Dear Stranger for WOMAD, encouraging participants to write a letter and post it in a pink post box near the WoMarkets, and receive a letter from a stranger in return.
On the hour, a performer in ‘postie attire’ will cycle around the park delivering letters as part of Tilda’s work.
Other Australians on the lineup are Melbourne-based Tek Tek Ensemble, Sydney-based Devaura and a new ten-piece group Owelu Dreamhouse, which combines psychedelic soul with West African musical traditions.
The Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir will perform their internationally acclaimed choral arrangements of sacred songs in Western Arrarnta and Pitjantjatjara languages.
Australian Art Orchestra Artistic Director Aaron Choulai has coordinated a choral concert with the 12-piece Tatana Village Choir, called Ane Ta Abia, to celebrate Papua New Guinea’s 50th year of Independence.
Returning to Adelaide for the first time since the 1992 Adelaide Festival is French street theatre pioneers ilotopie with a performance called Les Gens de Couleur (Coloured People) which transforms brightly painted performers into living sculptures.
Formed in the Camargue region in southern France in 1980, ilotopie are pioneers of street theatre.
Canada’s Inuk artist Elisapie joins the lineup, along with UK folk singer-songwriter Bess Atwell and Nana Benz du Togo who has an electro-voodoo-soul sound that fuses handmade instruments with electronic beats and powerhouse female vocals.
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Bringing the club energy to the weekend is Peruvian-born, Berlin-based DJ Sofia Kouresis who has performed at major international festivals, Glastonbury and Primavera.
London-based baritone saxophonist Joe Henwood and drummer Tash Keary perform as jazz, metal and breakbeats blend as the duo O.
WOMAD is at Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla from March 7–10, 2025. For tickets and more information, visit WOMAD’s website.
The full lineup:
3% (AUS)
47SOUL (Palestine/Jordan)
Amaru Tribe (Aus)
Ana Carla Maza (Cuba)
Andrew Gurruwiwi Band (AUS)
Ane Ta Abia by Aaron Choulai, Australian Art Orchestra and Tatana Village Choir (Aus/PNG)
Bala Desejo (Brazil)
Bangarra Dance Theatre – The Light Inside (AUS)
Bess Atwell (UK)
Bonny Light Horseman (USA)
Bousta (Aus)
Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir (Aus)
Chris Kamu’ana Rohoimae – Pacific Break winner (Solomon Islands)
Cie Paris Benares – Chamôh (Camel) (France)
Dear Stranger by Tilda Cobham-Hervey (Aus)
Delgres (France)
DEVAURA (NZ/Aus)
Digable Planets (USA)
DJ Paulette (UK)
Dojo Rise (Aus)
Dream Engine – Heliosphere (UK)
Duo Ruut (Estonia)
Durand Jones & The Indications (USA)
Dustyn (Aus)
Ela Minus (Colombia)
Eleanor Jawurlngali – (AUS)
Elisapie (Canada)
Elsy Wameyo (Kenya)
Emily Wurramara – (AUS)
Etran de l’Aïr (Niger)
Goran Bregović & His Wedding & Funeral Band (Serbia)
Hewa Rwanda (Rwanda/Senegal)
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ilotopie – Les Gens de Couleur (France)
John Grant (USA)
Kara Manansala (Aus)
Khruangbin (USA)
Lindigo (Réunion)
Majnun (Senegal)
Mariza (Portugal)
Meena De Silva (Sri Lanka/Aus)
Miss Kanina (AUS)
Ms Chipeta (Aus)
Nana Benz du Togo (Togo)
Ngaiire (PNG/AUS)
Nils Frahm (Germany)
Nitin Sawhney (UK)
Norsicaa (UK/AUS)
O. (UK)
O.TA.I.KO ZA MYOJIN (Japan)
Owelu Dreamhouse (Aus)
PJ Harvey (UK)
Protoje & The Indiggnation (Jamaica)
Queen Omega (Trinidad & Tobago)
Restless Dance Theatre – Seeing Through Darkness (AUS)
Saigon Soul Revival (Vietnam)
Satish Vyas & U Rajesh (India)
Sauljaljui (Taiwan)
Shabaka (UK)
Silent Observers (AUS)
Sofia Kourtesis (Peru)
Sun Ra Arkestra (USA)
Talisk (Scotland)
TEK TEK Ensemble (Aus)
The Cloud Maker (Aus/NZ)
The Joy (South Africa)
The Lofty Mountain Band (AUS)
The Mande Spirit (AUS)
Trio da Kali (Mali)
UPK Project (AUS)
Wrong Way Up (South Sudan/AUS)
Yemi Alade (Nigeria)
Yoann Bourgeois Art Company – The unreachable suspension point (France)