WOMAD NZ 2022 Announces Nine New Musical Acts, and Poetry Slam Entries Open
18 – 20 March, 2022
Bowl of Brooklands and Brooklands Park
New Plymouth, Taranaki
Tickets are on sale now HERE
IMAGE CREDIT: Frederico Pagola
Today, WOMAD NZ 2022 adds nine musical performers to the line-up. From household names and festival favourites to keeping the delight of WOMAD’s discovery element alive, these nine new acts solidify the 2022 WOMAD lineup as the most diverse and worldly rich festival of the summer season.
The acts added are: Dream Chambers; APRA award-winning singer-songwriter Jess Chambers’ ethereal electronic music, Ge Luz; T?maki Makaurau/Auckland-based Brazilian musician who coats with sugar, crushes with sadness, and cuts through to the soul of a song, Le Moana; performing Pacific Contemporary Dance and storytelling, Muroki; of Kenyan descent and Coromandel born, and residing in Raglan since childhood, Muroki has always lived near the waves — a defining backdrop to this 20-year-old’s sound of smooth roots-based pop. Mazbou Q; the T?maki Makaurau/Auckland based, UK-born Nigerian artist’s particular brand of Hip-hop challenges the very notion of genre and captivates those with a deep appreciation for musicality. Paul Bosauder presents the Tierra y Mar Flamenco Project; known for performing around the world as a highly regarded flamenco guitarist and composer, promoting his love of this music along with his love for his country of origin – Aotearoa/New Zealand. Rubi Du; known as “Aotearoa’s Reggae Queen’, TUi MAMAKi; formerly of Mamaku Project, Tui finds inspiration for new works in Bulgarian Folklore. Whirimako Black; hailing from the T?hoe Nation, Whirimako blends genres of folk, jazz and blues incorporating traditional M?ori music forms singing in English and in te reo M?ori.
Entries have now opened to Womad go-ers for the much loved WOMAD Poetry Slam that runs during the festival showcasing performance poets, amateur and professional, putting them in the spotlight on the World of Words Stage, Kunming Garden. Hostess with the mostess Penny Ashton is back with more aural excitement and to whip the crowd into a frenzy over the crowning of the WOMAD Poetry Slam 2022 alongside judges; Ken Arkind, and Te Karere Whitiao Scarborough. Entries are now open for the WOMAD Poetry Slam 2022.
Official WOMAD merch is up online now via the Wo-store. WOMAD lovers can secure their favourite piece early and wear their festival love on their sleeves( or back, or head!) with the exclusive, limited edition pre-festival WOMAD NZ 2022 merch.
Haere Mai! The 2022 WOMAD app is up and ready to download to create itineraries, keep track of performances, learn new kupu and find out where the best bars, food and traders are around the festival site. DOWNLOAD NOW from Apples App Store and Google Play.
WOMAD’s World Of Words is a series of spoken sessions featuring novelists, poets, critical thinkers, entrepreneurs and more from around Aotearoa. The programme sets out to entertain and inform, educate and inspire by bringing people together to express their perspectives and their unique life stories. This 2022 lineup delivers stories from foreign correspondent journalism to a free-press refugee, comedians, international poetry slam champion, award -inning authors, community advocates and funeral directors.
With eight stages featuring an eclectic and cross-cultural line-up bursting with talented musicians, artists, and inspiring speakers. WOMAD 2022 is full of worldly flavour through unique music, arts, words, science and dance you expect to see at the festival year after year!
Musical Artists appearing at WOMAD 2022 in alphabetical order:
Bulgarian Vocal group; Acapollinations, Jazz-Hip-Hop mastermind; Avantdale Bowling Club, Brazilian DJ; Bobby Brazuka, Cinematic-Jazz ensemble; Carnivorous Plant Society, modern R&B extraordinaire; Deva Mahal, Experimental Electronic Music producer; Dream Chambers, one of the world’s finest live draws; Fat Freddy’s Drop, contemporary super-group; Fly My Prettie, T?maki Makaurau/Auckland-based Brazilian musician; Ge Luz, Neo-Soul-Jazz artist; Hollie Smith, exciting drum troupe; IPU Kodama Japanese Drum Team, Latin Electronic quartet; Latin Aotearoa, performing Pacific Contemporary Dance and storytelling group; Le Moana, the engaging, eclectic, ecstatic Lord Echo (DJ set), vibrant dance company; Mudra Dance, Smooth Roots-based Pop artist; Muroki, T?maki Makaurau/Auckland based Nigerian Kiwi rapper and producer; Mazbou Q, Balkan Brass band; Niko Ne Zna, Flamenco guitarist and composer; Paul Bosauder presents the Tierra y Mar Flamenco Project, R’n’B cultural warrior; Ria Hall, “Aotearoa’s Reggae Queen’; Rubi Du, Dub Fusion elite; Salmonella Dub, the stunning collaboration of New Zealand and Indian musicians Shades of Shakti, Blues and Roots band SWAMP THÏNG, Dames of Aotearoa’s Country music and comedy; Topp Twins, Bulgarian Folklore artist; TUi MAMAKi, World-Fusion Beats based Weird Together, Multi-award winning oil singer Whirimako Black and Afro-Funk band Yaw Asumadu and Ozi Ozaa.
WOMAD’s World Of Words is a series of spoken sessions featuring novelists, poets, critical thinkers, entrepreneurs and more from around Aotearoa. The programme sets out to entertain and inform, educate and inspire by bringing people together to express their perspectives and their unique life stories. This 2022 lineup delivers stories from foreign correspondent journalism to a free-press refugee, comedians, international poetry slam champion, award-winning authors, community advocates and funeral directors.
OMV STEAM Lab and World of Words speakers appearing at WOMAD 2022 in alphabetical order: Anna Fifield, Behrouz Boochani, Dick Frizzell, Dr Siouxsie Wiles, Jacqueline Bublitz, James Nokise, Ken Arkind, Rose Carlyle, Te Karere Whitiao Scarborough, The Casketeers (Frances & Kaiora Tipene), Tom Sainsbury.
The newest feature to WOMAD NZ, Book Club allows festival-goers to share their perspective of a book and explore its themes with the author. The 2022 books chosen are, Before You Knew My Name by Jacqueline Bublitz, and The Girl in the Mirror by Rose Carlyle.
The full OMV STEAM Lab and Kidzone programmes are being announced on December 3, 2021, and firm festival favourites, Taste The World, and Te Pae Pae stages are set to return in 2022 with programming still to be announced.
Praise for the festival:
“People chatted under shade, tucked into a dizzying array of food, danced in nooks and crannies, or took in spoken word performances on a stage surrounded by trees. Smiles seemed to be mandatory.” – Chris Schulz, New Zealand Herald
“The place reverberated under the mighty watch of Mount Taranaki with the kind of passion that only comes from the sheer celebration of diversity.” – Rosie Morrison, The Spinoff
“…most acts put on repeat performances over the weekend allowing you the chance to customise an itinerary that would rival an around the world music trip.” – Rosie Morrison, The Spinoff
“There aren’t too many places you can sit on the grass and watch international music while surrounded by trees, birds, and water.” Stephanie Mitchell – stuff.co.nz
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WOMAD NZ has received a high volume of queries regarding mandating vaccine certificates to attend major events. WOMAD NZ respects that each individual has the right to choose to be vaccinated or not, but if you wish to attend WOMAD NZ 2022, you will need to be vaccinated and will need to show your ‘My Vaccine Pass’ on entry.
The New Zealand Government has announced that they will cover 90% of unrecoverable costs for festivals if cancelled due to Covid. This gives us even more confidence to produce WOMAD NZ 2022. As a festival-goer, it means that if WOMAD NZ has to cancel due to Covid-19, you will have the option to roll your tickets over to 2023 or receive a ticket refund (less a reasonable administration booking fee).
Head to the WOMAD website for more information, WOMAD will continue to update this page as they receive communication from the Government.
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