WOMAD 2022 Official Artist Line-Up Announcement

The internationally established three-day music, arts and dance festival is known for its exciting and diverse line-up and next year’s event is no exception. WOMAD NZ is poised to deliver a musical melting pot of Bulgarian Vocal, Cinematic Jazz, Latin Funk-Soul, Japanese drumming, Balkan Gypsy, Classical Indian music and dance, Americana, Jazz, Hip Hop, Soul RnB, Roots, Dub Fusion and Afro-funk. Bookworms and science buffs can wallow in talks of art, feminism, solo-yachting, bugs and stand-up comedy.

WOMAD audiences can rejoice as the festival brings back some of its most loved performers alongside some making their WOMAD debut; Queens of Aotearoa’s Country music and comedy; Topp Twins, Dub Fusion elite; Salmonella Dub, RnB cultural warrior; Ria Hall, Neo-Soul-Jazz artist; Hollie Smith, and contemporary super-group; Fly My Pretties.

Keeping the delight of WOMAD’s discovery element alive, the other new artists added are; Acapollinations (Bulgarian Vocal), Bobby Brazuka (DJ), Carnivorous Plant Society (Cinematic Jazz), IPU Kodama Japanese Drum Team (Drum Troupe), Latinaotearoa (Latin Soul Funk), Lord Echo (DJ Set), Niko Ne Zna (Balkan Gypsy), Swamp Thing (Americana Blues & Roots), Weird Together (World Fusion Beats) and Yaw Asumadu and Ozi Ozaa (Afro-funk).

These 16 join the already announced Jazz-Hip-Hop mastermind Avantdale Bowling Club, modern R&B extraordinaire, Deva Mahal, festival favourites, Fat Freddy’s Drop, and the stunning collaboration of New Zealand and Indian musicians, Shades of Shakti.

The World of Words Stage is adding comedian and author of New Zealanders A Field Guide; Tom Sainsbury.

The full line-up announcement for World Of Words is coming on October 31, and the final OMV STEAM Lab programme is being announced on December 3, 2021. Taste The World, Kidzone, and Te Pae Pae will also return with programming to be announced.

OMV STEAM Lab & World of Words speakers appearing at WOMAD 2022 in alphabetical order:

Dick Frizzell, Dr Siouxsie Wiles, Tom Sainsbury

Photo Credit: McKenzie Jennings-Gruar