WOMAD NZ 2015 Lineup Announced

28 acts make up the line-up for next year's WOMAD (World of Music and Dance) festival, in addition to already announced artists, Rufus Wainwright and Senegal's Youssou N’Dour.

The family-friendly festival will be held at the 55-acre Brooklands Park and TSB Bowl of Brooklands in New Plymouth from March 13 to 15, 2015.

As always the bill is jam packed with a eclectic spread of acts, spanning every corner of the globe. Next year's event will feature performers from 20 countries. Irish singer/songwriter Sinead O’Connor will be the main event, fresh from a headline performance at the UK leg of the festival. Her appearance also comes off the back of releasing her tenth album, I'm Not Bossy, I'm The Boss, which touches on pop, rock and afro-funk. Acclaimed Tuareg guitarist Bombino will be making the trip all the way from Niger, and British folk legend Richard Thompson will show everyone why he's considered one of the best guitarists of all time.

Elsewhere, there will be seven-piece Italian ensemble Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino, Spanish punk-ragga four-piece Che Sudaka, Boston soul band Lake Street Dive, Palestinian string player Ramzi Aburedwan, Malawi gospel act Malawi Mouse Boys and plenty more.

The full lineup includes, in alphabetical order:

Balkan Beat Box (Israel/US) • Bombino (Niger) • Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino (Italy) • Che Sudaka (Spain/Argentina/Colombia) • Estere (New Zealand/Aotearoa) • Fanfare Ciocarlia (Romania) • Flavia Coelho (Brazil) • Flip Grater (France/New Zealand) • Jupiter & Okwess International (Democratic Republic of Congo) • Lake Street Dive (USA) • Luzmila Carpio (Bolivia) • Malawi Mouse Boys (Malawi) • Meeta Pandit (India) • Mel Parsons (New Zealand/Aotearoa) • Myele Manzanza & The Eclectic (New Zealand/Aotearoa) • Osadia (Spain) • Public Service Broadcasting (UK) • Puerto Flamenco (Spain/Australia) • Ramzi Aburedwan (Palestine) • Richard Thompson (UK) • Rufus Wainwright (Canada) • Sinead O’Connor (Ireland) • Tahuna Breaks (New Zealand/Aotearoa) • TaikOz (Japan/Australia) • The Gloaming (Ireland / US) • Toumani & Sidiki Diabate (Mali) • Trinity Roots (New Zealand/Aotearoa) • Youssou N’Dour (Senegal)