Radical vocalist headlines NAIDOC in the City
City workers and visitors should stop by Hyde Park next month to hear soul and hip-hop from renowned local vocalist and songwriter David Lehā, known as Radical Son.
The not-to-be-missed gig on Monday 4 July will feature Sydney-based Radical Son live on stage at 12.30pm at the City of Sydney’s free NAIDOC in the City event.
Radical Son has earned a unique reputation for his talents as a powerful soul singer, rapper and spoken word artist.
The performer, whose music and stories are guided by his Indigenous heritage from the Kamilaroi nation of Australia and the South Pacific nation of Tonga, said he can’t wait to perform for Sydneysiders as part of NAIDOC Week 2016.
“I love being involved with Indigenous events and I’m proud to be part of showcasing Indigenous performers. This is a chance for everyone to come together and celebrate our culture, heritage, history and achievements,” Radical Son said.
“My music encourages the human spirit to approach life through love and compassion which charts a course from hopelessness to healing and this is what NAIDOC represents to me.”
NAIDOC in the City is a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and includes a range of exciting, original music and dance acts, a marketplace, food stalls, information stands, and cultural and sporting activities for the kids, from 11am–3pm.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore said it was a great opportunity to celebrate and enjoy the rich culture of Sydney’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
“This is a rare chance to see a rising star from Sydney’s Indigenous community in the centre of our city,” the Lord Mayor said.
“NAIDOC in the City isn’t just a terrific chance to enjoy the entertainment and activities on offer, it’s also an opportunity to pay respect to the Elders past and present who have worked tirelessly to preserve and keep their culture alive and well.”
Live music performances will feature throughout the day on the main stage, with a talented line-up stretching from hip-hop to soul and pop. The line-up includes Redfern-based reggae fusion group Green Hand Band and 15 year old singer-songwriter Mi-kaisha.
NAIDOC Week, from 3–10 July, is a national program that celebrates the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee, which grew from the first political groups seeking rights for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in the 1920s.
The theme for NAIDOC Week 2016 is Songlines: The Living Narrative of Our Nation. The themegives all Australians the opportunity to learn about the Dreamtime, when the earth, people and animals were created by ancestral spiritual beings who created the rivers, lakes, plants, land formations and living creatures.
Dreaming tracks criss-cross Australia and trace the journeys of ancestral spirits as they created the land. These dreaming tracks are sometimes called songlines, as they record the travels of ancestral spirits who sang the “land into life”.
NAIDOC in the City, Monday 4 July, 11am–3pm, Hyde Park North
NAIDOC in the City is produced by 33creative.com.au
Main Stage Program
11am Opening Ceremony
Commencing with a Welcome to Country by Uncle Chicka Madden, accompanied by a traditional smoking ceremony to cleanse the space by Matthew Doyle.
11.10pm Jax and Daz from Muggera Dancers
Two of our community’s best, bringing a fusion of hip-hop and culture.
11.50am Jessie Lloyd
Originally from the tropics of North Queensland, Jessie Lloyd us an award winning composer, performer and cultural practitioner of Indigenous music and song.
12.30pm Radical Son
With music and stories guided by his Indigenous heritage from the Kamilaroi nation of Australia and the South Pacific nation of Tonga, Radical Son has a unique ability to deliver as a soul singer, rapper and spoken word artist.
1.30pm Green Hand Band
Drawing musical influences from soul, reggae and desert rock genres, Redfern-based Green Hand Band raise awareness of issues such as recovering from addiction, spiritual empowerment and love.
2.30pm Mi-kaisha
Mi-kaisha’s mother is from the Dharumbal people of Central Queensland and her father is Tongan. She started learning piano at the age of five and was a featured artist on ‘The Sapphires’ soundtrack at the age of 11. At 13 Mi-kaisha competed in the ‘The Voice Kids’ being part of Team Madden’s top 10.
