WOMAD NZ Announce Six New Acts For 2024 - Arooj Aftab, DakhaBrakha, Lankum, Moonlight Benjamin + More

Having already set the internet ablaze with the announcement of legendary first headliner Ziggy Marley, WOMAD NZ have revealed six new international and local guests for 2024's festival — happening at Ngāmotu / New Plymouth's Brooklands Park and the TSB Bowl of Brooklands over three days this coming March. Acts announced today are Grammy award-winning Pakistani-American singer, composer and producer Arooj Aftab, Ukrainian folk music quartet DakhaBrakha, Mercury Prize nominated Irish folk collective Lankum, Haitian vodou priestess Moonlight Benjamin, 2023 Waiata Māori Music Awards finalist (in four categories) hip hip / R&B artist Rei, and groundbreaking Aotearoa electronica project Strawpeople.

There will be plenty more WOMAD NZ announcements to come, as the organisers continue to drip feed us details about next year's musically diverse, multi-stage extravaganza music and arts extravaganza. Get to know the new special guests and gift yourself great times for 2024 by grabbing tickets today...

WOMAD NZ 2024
Featuring... Ziggy Marley (Jamaica), Arooj Aftab (Pakistan/USA), DakhaBrakha (Ukraine), Lankum (Ireland), Moonlight Benjamin (Haiti-France), Rei (Aotearoa/NZ), Strawpeople (Aotearoa/NZ) + more to be announced
Friday 15th March to Sunday 17th March - Brooklands Park and the TSB Bowl of Brooklands, Ngāmotu / New Plymouth
Tickets on sale now from www.womad.co.nz

Take in Arooj Aftab's 2022 Tiny Desk (home) concert for NPR Music...

Watch the video for Moonlight Benjamin & Bob Sinclar's breakout 2023 single 'Zanmi Kanmarad'...

Experience DakhaBrakha performing 'Baby' live on KEXP...

Here's Lankum's rendition of traditional song 'Go Dig My Grave' from their 2023 album False Lankum via Rough Trade Records...

Hit play on Rei's 2021 bilingual hit 'Hoki Mai / Come Back'...

Watch Strawpeople's classic 1994 video for 'Trick With A Knife'...

Press release:

In a lineup that embodies the festival's spirit of diversity and musical exploration, WOMAD NZ is thrilled to announce six new talented acts to perform at the award-winning Brooklands Park and the TSB Bowl of Brooklands, Ngāmotu/ New Plymouth in March 2024.

From the fusion of neo-Sufi, classical minimalism, jazz, and electronic music by Arooj Aftab to the innovative "ethno-chaos" sounds of DakhaBrakha, the fresh perspective on Irish folk music by the 2023 Mercury Prize nominees Lankum, the mesmerizing blend of rock and Haitian voodoo rhythms by Moonlight Benjamin, the genre-blending talents of rising artist Rei in hip-hop and R&B, and the nineties cool electro-pop contributions of Strawpeople. It’s a musical journey that offers something extraordinary for everyone.

These six eclectic and exciting acts will join the previously announced eight-time Grammy Award-winning, socially conscious, reggae world music sensation Ziggy Marley at the festival in March, with more acts to be announced in October.

Music enthusiasts can look forward to immersing themselves in a rich tapestry of sounds and cultures while enjoying the natural beauty of the surroundings. It's an event that promises to celebrate both the universal language of music and the unique flavours of each artist's cultural influences.

WOMAD NZ 2024 is poised to be an unforgettable event and undoubtedly the must-attend festival of the season.