Womadelaide to get a little Ziggy Marley reggae magic
Reggae legend Ziggy Marley says he’s very happy his plans to visit Australia again are finally set to be realised at next year’s WOMADelaide festival.
Confidential
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WOMADelaide 2020 will be transformed into a rocking reggae party with the announcement that Jamaican music legend Ziggy Marley will headline the four-day festival.
The multi-Grammy award winner and son of reggae icon Bob Marley leads stellar list of musos added to the March festival’s line-up.
Also announced today are beloved British folkie Laura Marling, Brazilian samba king Jorge Ben Jor and Australian singer-songwriter and Eurovision alumni Kate Miller-Heidke.
And Adelaide house music legend Late Nite Tuff Guy, who many may remember as his former incarnation as HMC, will be dropping beats in what’s sure to be a well-attended DJ set.
Marley, speaking from his home in California, said he was looking forward to performing at the Adelaide festival.
“I’ve been trying to come to Australia for the past five or six years, man, but it’s been hard to get over there, you know,” he said.
“Now thanks to the Womad festival I’ll get a chance to come and play some music for the Australian people. I’m very happy about that.”
The 51-year-old, who released a new record in Rebellion Rising last year, is perhaps best known in Australia for his 1988 breakthrough record Conscious Party, which spawned the hit song Tomorrow People.
The oldest son of Bob and Rita Marley, he received a unique musical education on Kingston, Jamaica, playing not only with his parents but also with members of The Wailers and acts like Toots and the Maytals and Burning Spear.
“It was excitement, energy, dark energy, light energy, it was dangerous, it was safe – it was everything, you know,” Marley said of his upbringing.
“But I’m happy that I grew up in that time. It imprinted ideas of helping people and perseverance – I learned a lot from my father and mother during that time.”
Details at www.womadelaide.com.au
Full interview with Ziggy Marley, Music Confidential, Friday