Seven new acts announced for WOMAD New Zealand 2020

WOMAD New Zealand is famous for bringing together artists from all over the globe for a vibrant showcase of the world’s many forms of music, arts, and dance. The 2020 festival is no exception and will feature close to 100 hours of music, dance and voices across eight stages. Over three days Ng?motu’s stunning Brooklands Park and the TSB Bowl of Brooklands will once again be transformed into a village of colour, energy and inclusion.

WOMAD New Zealand 2020 features 28 cutting edge performers and world-class musicians from every corner of the planet, delivering fresh new takes on traditional music. And come March 2020, multi-award-winning, solo artists, duos, trios and 12-piece brass bands from around the globe will come together to perform at WOMAD New Zealand. Finnish Beatboxing, Maloyan Dance and Black Samba will join hands with Reggae, Rap, Folk, Funk, Jazz, Soul, Classical and Afrobeat to celebrate the world’s differences. Pioneering young artists alongside inspirational icons are set to promote acceptance, joy, love, hope and change via the universal language of mankind, music.

WOMAD New Zealand is very proud to present, for the 16th year anniversary of the festival (in alphabetical order)

Albi & The Wolves (Aotearoa/NZ), Blind Boys of Alabama (USA), Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita (Wales/Senegal), Destyn Maloya (Réunion), Ezra Collective (UK), Flor de Toloache (Mexico/USA), Hiatus Kaiyote (Australia), Hot Potato Band (Australia), Ifriqiyya Electrique (Maghreb/Europe), KermesZ à l’Est (Belgium), Kim So Ra (South Korea), King Ayisoba (Ghana), L.A.B. (Aotearoa/NZ), Laura Marling (UK), Liniker e os Caramelows (Brazil), L Subramaniam (India), Marina Sattir & Fo?es (Greece/Sudan), Ziggy Marley (Jamaica), Minyo Crusaders (Japan), Orquesta Akokán (Cuba), Reb Fountain (Aotearoa/NZ), RURA (Scotland), Salif Keita (Mali), Soaked Oats (Aotearoa/NZ), The Black Quartet (Aotearoa/NZ), Trio Da Kali (Mali), Troy Kingi (Aotearoa/NZ) Tuuletar (Finland).

The ever-expanding World Of Words stage, now held on the sun-drenched lawn of the Kunming Garden will be hosting poets, musical legends, authors, entertainers, comedians and educators to leave you both thinking and laughing.

Dave Fane (Aotearoa/NZ), Joanne Drayton (Aotearoa/NZ), Ken Arkind (USA), Mike Chunn (Aotearoa/NZ), Miriam Lancewood (Aotearoa/NZ), Penny Ashton (Aotearoa/NZ), Selina Tusitala Marsh (Aotearoa/NZ), Shayne Carter (Aotearoa/NZ), Te Radar (Aotearoa/NZ).

WOMAD New Zealand is also elated to announce two new additions to the festival for 2020.

STEAM Lab
Being hosted on a brand new stage in the tranquil setting of the Pinetum is WOMAD New Zealand’s first-ever STEAM Lab. Come and hear speakers from Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics fields talk about incredible breakthroughs and their journey of innovation.

BOOK CLUB 
Introducing WOMAD New Zealand’s inaugural Book Club. The book chosen for the 2020 festival is We Can Make A Life by Chessie Henry. Book Club aims to bring people together to express their perspectives and explore the themes within the book while getting insights from Chessie herself.

WOMAD New Zealand remains a place to bring artists together from all over the globe to break down barriers, educate, inform and inspire. Come and lose yourself in the sights, sounds, and tastes that blend together to make up the vibrant WOMAD experience!