Nicki Minaj to touch down in Parramatta for FOMO

BREATHE IN EVERYONE: The Queen, Nicki The Ninja, The Harujuku Barbie, Ms Nicki Minaj herself will arrive in Parramatta this weekend for the FOMO music festival.

FOMO arrives in Parramatta this weekend. Picture: Mitch Lowe. Inset: Nicki Minaj in Brisbane. Picture: Mike Wallace

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Superstar Nicki Minaj will arrive in Parramatta this weekend for the FOMO music festival.

Parramatta Park will host the Sydney leg of the festival on Saturday, where Minaj will be joined by a huge line-up including Mississippi hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd, Mura Masa, Kali Uchis and Australian artists Carmouflage Rose, Just A Gent and MIMI.

FOMO was founded in 2016 in Brisbane by trio Jess and Anand Krishnaswamy and Steven Papas, with the aim of “one stage, no clashes”.

“FOMO was an idea formed by myself, my husband Anand and our best friend Steven to solve one simple problem,” Mrs Krishnaswamy said.

“Big festivals with too many stages end up being more work than enjoyment for attendees.

“With set time clashes, the frustration of losing your mates and the time it takes to get around a massive festival site; it all ends up being more work than enjoyment.

“So we started FOMO as the antidote to that.”

Starting a music festival — and securing big names along the way — is not an easy task, but the trio had the advantage of extensive industry experience.

“My background was a festival sponsorship manager and then in A & R (artists and repertoire) at EMI working with acts like Empire of the Sun and Alison Wonderland,” Mrs Krishnaswamy said.

“Anand was a touring manager for promoter Fuzzy, and Steven owned a very successful venue/nightclub in Brisbane called Oh Hello.”

For its first festival, FOMO secured artists RL Grime, Flight Facilities and Jamie xx and as it expanded — including arriving at Parramatta in 2017 — it has featured major artists such as Post Malone, SZA and Kaytranada, and now Minaj.

FOMO attracts huge crowds each year. Picture: Billy Zammit

Mrs Krishnaswamy said the trio were “over the moon to be working with an icon like Nicki Minaj”.

“It’s truly a career highlight for all of us,” she said.

This year’s FOMO circuit began in Brisbane on January 5 and continued with shows in Adelaide, Auckland and Perth ahead of its stop in Parramatta this weekend.

■ Tickets for Saturday’s festival start at $170.74 and $1 from every ticket sold will be donated to music charity Heaps Decent and human rights organisation the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.