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[title]The festival of light, music and ideas is here to ignite Sydney’s winter once again. Vivid Live, the centrepiece of the Sydney Opera House’s year-round contemporary music program, boasts a huge range of exciting artists this festival season, ranging from hip hop to folk-pop.
To narrow it down for you we’ve put together an editors’ selection of must sees.
To witness a show unlike any other, check out Sampa the Great (May 27 & 28, Joan Sutherland Theatre). Presenting “An Afro Future” with several accompanying artists, the charismatic, Zambia-born singer blends hip hop, jazz, neo-soul and Afrobeat for music that celebrates the experiences of the Black Diaspora. Sampa recently became the first Zambian act to play Coachella, and also released a collab with Denzel Curry.
Stick around to catch world-renowned hip-hop star Tkay Maidza the following night (May 29, Joan Sutherland Theatre), fresh off her tour with Billie Eilish. There’s no denying that this Zimbabwe-born, Australian-raised singer and rapper is one to watch – having already dropped a top-20 album and won an ARIA in her short career.
Love club music? You’ll want to book tickets to see Hermitude’s night of beats (June 2) on the Northern Boardwalk, where the duo will debut their new album Mirror Mountain. Hermitude has enthralled crowds from SXSW to Lollapalooza with their award-winning album HyperParadise, so it’s safe to say that they’ll be lighting up Sydney Harbour.
Cutting edge Sydney-based record label, publisher and live music promoter Astral People started as a humble artist management agency and has turned into a multi-armed music juggernaut whose parties have attracted the attention of Thom Yorke and Elton John. To celebrate 10 + 1 monumental years of bumping and grinding, the innovative group are bringing together a massive line-up of local and international acts for two huge nights on the Northern Broadwalk (June 3-4). Friday June 3 is jazz, soul and R&B with Yussef Dayes, Hiatus Kaiyote, Mildlife, Jitwam, Dameeeela and Bumpy. Saturday June 4 is hip hop and grime with UK rappers JAY1, S1mba, plus a massive local line-up including Youngn Lipz, Briggs, Barkaa, Arno Faraji, Hoodzy and Munasib.
Prefer a soul session to a dance party? Witness the future of modern soul music with TEEKS and his silky-smooth voice (June 13, Joan Sutherland Theatre). Only 26 years old, this Māori singer has become an overnight sensation, rising to number one on the New Zealand charts last year with his debut album, Something to Feel.
No festival is complete without a classic, and it doesn’t get more legendary than Paul Kelly. Spanning four nights (May 27-29, 31, Northern Broadwalk), this once-in-a-lifetime performance, "Time and Tide: Four Decades of Song", is a retrospective of Kelly’s career. This is the songwriter's first time performing at Vivid Live, and it’s sure to be memorable as he performs some of his biggest hits alongside special guest Thelma Plum.
Whether your ideal night out is a dance party on the water or a solo act in Sydney’s iconic opera house, it’s time to find your Sydney Opera House at Vivid Live this year.