One of Australia’s most successful festivals, WOMADelaide, today announced the final 11 International and Australian artists for its 20thevent, which will be held 11-14 March in Botanic Park, Adelaide.
Joining an already outstanding lineup including the pioneer of ‘the French Touch’ sound, St Germain, as well as Angélique Kidjo performing an Australian exclusive show with a 68-piece Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, the American singer-songwriter John Grant and the politically-charged Asian Dub Foundation is the Grammy Award-winning US hip-hop trio De La Soul.
Forming in New York in 1987 and breaking into a scene dominated at the time by a machismo, ‘street-gang’ mentality and uncompromising lyrics, De La Soul’s playful lyricism, whimsy and irreverence, mixed with samples from children’s records and a myriad of other sources, changed the face of hip-hop.
De La Soul has gained respect from all corners of the music industry over the past 20 years, with their musical innovations not only reverberating throughout the hip hop industry, but the jazz, funk and soul scenes as well.
De La Soul’s eighth studio album “And The Anonymous Nobody” will be released a month after their exclusive Australian appearance at WOMADelaide.
Announced alongside De La Soul is arguably the world’s most recorded singer and the first Indian artist to be nominated for a Grammy Award, Asha Bhosle, who returns to WOMADelaide after an eight-year absence for her ‘Last Empress’ farewell tour.
Bhosle’s career spans over six decades and 12,000 recorded songs and she is revered by millions as the most respected Bollywood playback singer ever. Equally comfortable singing traditional ghazals, bhajans and Indian pop songs, Bhosle is renowned for her extraordinary vocal range.
“Being able to present De La Soul with a full live band, plus the legendary Asha Bhosle and her Bollywood mini-orchestra in the same festival is a real thrill and shows the incredible diversity of the festival lineup,” said Director, Ian Scobie.
Also announced today are the ARIA Award-winning Australian artists Sarah Blasko and Alpine, as well as 2015 Mercury Prize nominee Eska from the UK and singing a capella in the Pitjantjatjara language, the Choir of the APY (Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara) Lands.
Buy tickets for WOMADelaide 2016 here.
