WOMADelaide are happy to welcome back a bunch of hometown talents to the festival this year! From our own backyard, the local acts are some of our faves, because they know exactly what to expect when they walk through the gates of Botanic Park.

Kings & Associates

Saturday

One of Australia's boldest and most exciting neo blue bands are Kings & Associates and they’re from right here in South Australia. The 2014 ARBA award winners for ‘Most Outstanding New Act’ have continued to soar, seeing their name constantly appear on festivals around the country. The praise for the band has continued, with latest release ‘Tales of a Rich Girl’ hitting number one on the Australian Blues and Roots Radio Charts. “A humdinger from the land down under” as described by The Huffington Post’s Randy Radic, Kings & Associates are about to show you exactly why they’re about to become WOMADelaide royalty.

Naomi Keyte

Monday

Given Naomi Keyte’s latest release ‘Melaleuca’ takes so much inspiration from home, WOMADelaide seems the perfect setting for the Adelaide alt-pop artist. Keyte is known best for her mesmerising live performance, winning the 2016 National Live Music Award for Best Live Voice in South Australia. Joined on the intimate Zoo Stage by a live band including strings and horns, this is going to a memorable show from one of Adelaide’s most promising live acts.

Yellow Blue Bus

Sunday

Yellow Blue Bus might be one of the most unique bands to come out of Adelaide in recent times. Inspired by Ukranian culture, the band’s sound has evolved through the use of the bandura. The 65 chromatically tuned strings of the 6th century Ukrainian instrument sound like a cross between a harp and a harpsichord, traditionally used as a solo instrument or in Ukranian folk music. It is however Yellow Blue Bus who have transformed the sound of the bandura. Accompanying it with loud drums and big-effect electric guitars, Yellow Blue Bus have created an impressive modern legacy for the bandura and Ukranian culture itself.

Hana & Jessie-Lee's Bad Habits

Sunday

Lead singer, songwriter and whisky drinker - Hana Brenecki describes herself as a judgemental pizza critic and “wears cowboy boots found in a bin”, but this is where the bad habits end. Hana & Jessie-Lee’s Bad Habits came together from punk backgrounds, but their new sound is nothing of the sort. Creating an alt-country storm, with country and soul injections, the duo combine for some seriously heavy harmonies. The Adelaide locals combine so magnificently with Hana’s smoky vocals complimenting the scorching guitar work of Jessie-Lee.

Abbey Howlett

Sunday

The earthy rhytmic tones behind SA's Best Electronic Artist in 2017 is Abbey Howlett and she is creating a lot of noise in the local scene. The multi-instrumentalist has conjured up a unique style, drawing influence from all over the world with the intention of creating a decorated live show. At WOMADelaide Howlett is joined on Speakers' Corner Stage 6 by strings, adding even more layers to the finessed looping, rhythms and melodies atop melodies of her live performance.

Hartway

Monday

One of the final acts to perform in the 2018 program is Hartway, a fusion of locals Conor Barkway and Jack Degenhart. The duo describe their sound as a mix between Nu Disco, Acid Jazz, House, and Future Soul, combining electronic music with jazz horns. Their WOMADelaide set is going to be one of their biggest yet, inviting an array of local muso's to the stage to pump out some funky sounds, with the intention of getting everyone dancing by the end of their set.

Lonelyspeck

Saturday

Sione Teumohenga is the producer behind Lonelyspeck. Sione epitomises multi-talented, performing all the instrumentation on his latest EP Lave, as well as fully recording, mixing, mastering and even designing the cover art. Navigating inner worlds through his experimental, electronica sounds, Lonelyspeck is going to turn a lot of heads during his Saturday evening set.

Tim Whitt

Friday

Friday night at WOMADelaide just got a little bit better with Tim Whitt. Taking his live Electrolounge set to another level with a set of 8 people, anyone who has seen Tim Whitt perform at any festival over the years can expect an even more explosive performance. This is going to be a dance inducing set if their ever was one, after the sun goes down on the opening night of WOMADelaide 2018.