Review: WOMADelaide 2025 @ Botanic Park 07-10/03/25
WOMADelaide confirmed its status as Australia’s best festival with another weekend of incredible tunes and good vibes.
Words by Tobias Handke
Image supplied (Saige Prime)
WOMADelaide @ Botanic Park 07-10/03/25
Is WOMADeliade Australia’s best music festival? That question crossed my mind repeatedly as I soaked up everything the event had to offer over the Adelaide Cup long weekend. Upon further reflection, the answer is a simple and resounding yes!
WOMAD ticks all the boxes, from its eclectic lineup featuring musicians from all four corners of the globe to artist workshops, market stalls and a delicious selection of food trucks even the fussiest of eaters would be enamoured with.
In a family-friendly environment where good vibes are top of the agenda, WOMAD’s musical bill rivals the best festivals in the world. Where else can you witness a stalwart of the alternative music scene like PJ Harvey performing alongside Inuk artist Elisapie or the award-winning Brazilian tropicália quartet Bala Desejo?
This year’s lineup was no expectation, and despite the blistering temperatures, punters turned out in the tens of thousands to experience the annual event. We were on hand to check out all the musical goodness across the weekend, so to give you a little taste of what went down, here are our highlights and favourite moments from this year’s WOMADelaide Festival.
Day 1
Image supplied (Saige Prime)
Durand Jones & the Indicators
Taking to the stage as the sun began to set, American soul group Durand Jones & the Indicators got WOMADelaide off to the perfect start with an inspiring set of retro-soul compositions. Frontman Durand Jones danced and swaggered about the stage like a reincarnated ‘70s soul singer, serenading the swaying crowd with his mesmerising vocals.
Together with drummer Aaron Frazer, the duos’ low-high harmonies acted as ear candy to the growing crowd. The Indicators, comprising Frazer alongside Blake Rhein, Steve Okonski and Michael Isvara Montgomery, kept things tight with a melodic intensity that drove the set to a satisfactory climax. Highlights included ‘Sea Gets Hotter’, ‘Morning in America’ and set closer ‘Witchoo’.
Nitin Sawhney
A WOMADelaide veteran, Nitin Sawhney was forced to pull out of his 2024 performance due to a medical emergency. Invited back for this year’s festivities, Sawhney left nobody doubting why he’s such a favourite of the WOMAD crowd. The British musician and composer merges traditional Asian music with modern electronica and political and social lyrics that get you dancing and thinking at the same time.
Sawhney performed songs from across his 30+ year career, including recent tracks ‘Faceless Enemies’ and ‘Because You’re a Woman’, both taken from his 2023 solo release, Identity. The flamenco, Brazilian and Indian-influenced ‘Homelands’ was also a crowd pleaser that had one elderly woman grooving along as if her life depended on it.
3%
First Nations trio had the Zoo Stage rocking out with a high-impact set of pulsating hip hop tunes. The energy of Dallas Woods, Nooky, and Angus Field was palpable and you couldn’t help but dance along as the three dropped lyrical bombs over pulsating beats with help from their explosive backing band. The crowd was really digging 3%’s performance, which included a slew of tracks from their debut album, KILL THE DEAD, and their vibrant cover of 5 Seconds of Summer’s ‘Youngblood’, which had those down the front passionately singing along.
Bess Atwell
Sat on stage with just a guitar, sampler and her angelic voice, UK folk singer Bess Atwell had all those present enchanted with a soft and soothing set of indie folk tunes. Performing in Australia for the first time, Atwell was all smiles as she played songs from her most recent effort, 2024’s Light Sleeper.
Opener ‘Everyone Who’s Not In Love With You Is Wrong’ set the mood, with Atwell showcasing her vulnerability with songs touching on autism, antidepressants and mental health. ‘The Weeping’ was a clear highlight with the seated audience while the softly strummed final song, ‘Time Comes In Roses’, left everyone wanting more. A true talent.
PJ Harvey
I wouldn’t call myself a PJ Harvey nuff, but after witnessing her live for the first time, sign me up to her fan club. For one and a half hours the UK singer-songwriter captivated with her enchanting vocals and alluring stage presence, putting on a show few will forget. The first half of her Friday night headline spot featured tracks from her most recent album, I Inside the Old Year Dying. Inspired by a poem she wrote, Orlam, the tunes from the record were presented almost as a performance piece, with Harvey’s choreographed movements expanding on the intoxicating melodies of her band and her own striking vocals.
Harvey disappeared off stage for a brief moment as her band sang the ANZAC-inspired ‘The Colour of the Earth’, ushering in the second half of her performance dominated by material from earlier in her career, including the rocking ‘50ft Queenie’ and moody piano balled ‘The Garden’. Harvey also played ‘Black Hearted Love’, a 2009 duet with John Parish before ending with ‘90s favourites ‘Down By the Water’ and ‘To Bring You My Love’.
Encores are never needed, but watching Harvey return for two more songs even got me a little excited, with Harvey welcomed back by gleeful shouts and applause. ‘C’mon Billy’ and ‘White Chalk’ had everyone up on their feet, with Harvey cementing her status as one of the great singer-songwriters and performers of our generation.
Day 2
Image supplied (Saige Prime)
Ms Chipeta
Malawian Australian singer-songwriter Ms Chipeta drew a decent crowd for her late afternoon performance at the Frome Park Pavillion. The Adelaide/Tarndanya singer-songwriter demonstrated why she was one of six artists who were chosen to be part of the Interplay program at Nexus Arts in 2024.
Combining R&B and soul with pop melodies, Ms Chipeta delighted those in attendance with an engaging collection of songs about love, relationships and heartbreak. A talent to watch going forward.
Bala Desejo
It’s not hard to see why Bala Desejo won a Latin Grammy Award. The quartet, who were joined onstage by an incredible ensemble band, had everyone jiving from the get-go. This is a band that makes music for moving your body, with their eclectic sound merging traditional Brazilian tropicália and ‘70s psychedelia with pop and soul elements.
The quartet’s harmonies are ABBA-esque and despite not understanding a word of Portuguese, their music managed to move me and those nearby, with pockets of punters dancing up a storm and clapping along.
The Joy
The Joy consists of five lads who met during choir practice as kids and are now travelling the world spreading joy (pun intended) through song. The acapella group impressed with their soaring harmonies and beautiful tenors, with each member getting their chance to shine onstage.
Akin to an African boyband, you could feel the emotion in The Joy’s voices, with the quintet giving it their all during an entertaining performance that received well-deserved applause throughout.
Bousta
Proud Arrernte man Bousta hails from Mparntwe/Alice Springs but is currently living and studying in Adelaide. His first appearance at WOMAD brought a mixed crowd of young kids enthralled by his animated performance, older hip hop heads interested in the sounds of the next generation, and even a few older festival attendees stopping past the Frome Park Pavillion to see what all the fuss was about.
Bousta brought a party atmosphere to the festival, hyping the crowd alongside DJ Hobg with a selection of uplifting tunes. Joined by good friends Uncle PAYDAY and Basso Edwards for the final three tracks, Bousta proved why he’s being touted as Australia’s next big rap artist.
Róisín Murphy
Irish pop superstar Róisín Murphy closed out Saturday night with an electrifying performance that brought the house down. Mixing her own solo hits with Moloko (her former band) tunes, Murphy dazzled with several costume changes, visually spectacular graphics on the big screen and a backing band that only accentuated her electronic pop productions.
Murphy’s song selection was on point – from the opening salvo of Moloko’s ‘Pure Pleasure Seeker’ to her own solo hits ‘Overpowered’ and ‘Murphy’s Law’. This wasn’t just a live show but a well-rehearsed production that highlighted Murphy’s exceptional talent.
The biggest cheers came during her rendition of Moloko hits ‘The Time Is Now’ and ‘Sing It Back’, but there was no doubt Murphy held everyone’s attention with a career-spanning performance deserving of her headline status.
Day 3
Image supplied (Morgan Sette)
Elisapie
Singing in English, French, and Inuktitut, Elisapie captured everyone’s attention with a mix of original songs and covers. Joined by her three-piece band, Elisapie’s songs mix traditional Inuktitut music with contemporary rock and pop, creating a warm sound that’s familiar yet also refreshingly unique.
Elisapie came across as quite personable, happy to chat with the crowd and talk about her experiences between songs. While her covers added a new dimension to classic hits, it was her originals that hit home and demonstrated Elisapie’s talent as an artist.
Miss Kininna
Rapper and singer Miss Kininna commanded the stage like someone who has been performing her entire life. Blessed with confidence many seasoned vets don’t even possess, the proud Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung, Kalkadoon and Yirendali woman mesmerised the large crowd amongst the trees at Stage 7.
Miss Kininna moved seamlessly between conscious raps, soulful ballads and neo-soul, leaving a mark on all those lucky enough to catch her perform, even the bats!
O.
It’s hard to describe O. The duo of drummer Tash Keary and baritone saxophonist Joe Henwood create heady magic with their respective instruments. Piecing together soundscapes from a range of genres (punk, electronica, rock, thrash; the list goes on), they are a maelstrom of frantic, threatening arrangements that leave you with a similar feeling to dropping acid.
O.’s music is at times confusing but always engaging, and it’s hard not to nod your head or stamp your feet. The strobe lighting that accompanied their show only added to the claustrophobic nature of O.’s music.
Ask me to name one song they played and I’m blank, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the two, particularly Henwood, who stalked the stage with his sax like a man possessed. This was a phenomenal display of live music, and for mine, O. was the surprise packet of this year’s festival.
Day 4
Image supplied (Saige Prime)
Digable Planets
Hip hop royalty took over the Foundation Stage as punters braved the nearly 40-degree temperatures to catch the legendary Digable Planets in the flesh. The trio of Ishmael Butler, Craig Irving and Mary Ann Vieira took festivalgoers on a journey through jazz-influenced hip hop, performing the majority of songs from their seminal sophomore album, Blowout Comb, along with a few fan favourites.
They also performed a melody of classic rap tunes that included Ice Cube’s ‘It Was a Good Day’, A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Can You Kick It?’ and The Sugarhill Gang’s ‘Rappers Delight’, which got plenty of cheers. Supported by a five-piece band, all three MCs held the audience’s attention, although it’s hard not to highlight Vieira, one of the most underrated female rappers in the game.
Bonny Light Horseman
American folksters Bonny Light Horseman took things down a notch with a pleasant early evening performance of indie folk tunes. The group played a good mix of tracks from their three albums, with the inspiring ‘Deep In Love’ and rollicking ‘I Know You Know’ both going down well.
The harmonies of Anaïs Mitchell and Eric D. Johnson were touching, with Mitchell’s distinct vocals especially impacting. She’s like a cross between Julia Stone and Angel Olsen with a voice that could melt butter. The trio threw in a gorgeous cover of Dave Van Ronk’s ‘Green Rocky Road’ and ended with the rockier ‘Set You Free’.
Elsy Wameyo
After the old school vibes of Digable Planets, Elsy Wameyo gave punters a taste of the new generation. Backed by her four-piece band all the way from Kenya, Wameyo delivered an energetic set of hip hop, soul and R&B, with a little bit of gospel thrown in for good measure.
Performing a selection of tracks from her 2024 debut album, Saint Sinner, Wameyo had the crowd bouncing from the moment she arrived on stage to her final song. The Frome Park Pavilion was a mass of sweaty bodies moving and shaking to Wameyo’s hypnotic productions. Top-notch stuff!
Shabaka
British jazz musician Shabaka wasn’t for everyone, with several people standing near me unsure of what to make of the saxophonist turned flautist. I found his performance extraordinary, with Shabaka’s hour on stage a meditative journey through intricate arrangements featuring the flute, harp, trombone, piano and drums.
It was quite a different experience from the more upbeat and energetic fare on display throughout most of the day, with Shabaka’s soothing and sometimes haunting creations offering a quiet period of reflection for listeners.
Khruangbin
Saving the best for last, psychedelic rock trio Khruangbin had everyone shaking their thing with their upbeat blend of rock, pop, soul and psychedelia. With a stage reminiscent of the album cover of their most recent release, A La Sala, bassist Laura Lee Ochoa and guitarist Mark Speer prowled around the layered setup as drummer Donald "DJ" Johnson, positioned up to the right of the stage, keeping the beat with his rhythmic percussion.
The set list featured songs from across the Texas three-piece’s career, with some of the standouts being the slinky ‘Mr.White’, the warm ‘May Ninth’, funky ‘Lady and Man’ and personal favourite, ‘Pon Pón’. A cover of Kool & the Gang’s ‘Summer Madness’ went down well before Khruangbin finished with a funktastic rendition of ‘People Everywhere (Still Alive)’, bringing an end to another thrilling WOMAD festival.
