Image: Andrea Klarin
SA’s premier celebration of diverse cultural expressions through music, arts, and dance, WOMADelaide, is set to host the legendary Grace Jones as the headline act for Saturday night at the 2026 festival. The event takes place over the March long weekend at Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla.
Grace Jones is no stranger to the spotlight, renowned for her magnetic and dynamic performances that blend music, fashion, and art. The Jamaican-born singer’s illustrious career includes hits like ‘Pull Up to the Bumper’ and ‘Slave to the Rhythm.’ Her contributions have positioned her as a unique figure within the global entertainment landscape, cited by ‘The New York Times’ as a significant influence in pop music over the past 45 years.
Jones’s upcoming performance marks her debut at WOMADelaide, scheduled for the Saturday night. Even at 77, her captivating stage presence and distinct vocal abilities promise a memorable spectacle. Pitchfork praises her, saying, “In the annals of pop music and fashion, there has simply never been anyone else on earth quite like her—strong, severe, and otherworldly in every way, Jones has blazed a trail through popular culture over the past four decades that remains unrivalled in terms of boldfaced originality.”
Ian Scobie, Director of WOMADelaide, shared, “We are delighted to have the one and only Grace Jones join us for WOMADelaide. She is guaranteed to bring a thrilling and memorable energy to the 2026 festival.”
The festival not only highlights such legendary talents but also integrates performances from global artists, showcasing over 600 artists across 70 groups from 38 countries. The line-up this year includes Grammy Award-winning hip-hop artists Arrested Development, Mali’s songstress Oumou Sangaré, and Italian pop icon Jovanotti, among others.
Minister for Tourism South Australia, Zoe Bettison, added, “Adding Grace Jones to the already strong WOMADelaide lineup is hugely exciting for the festival and our State. Each year, WOMADelaide transforms our glorious Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla into another world celebrating art, culture, and connection in the heart of Adelaide – and 2026 will be no different. I welcome everyone to lock in their plans and experience why South Australia is officially the Best Event State.”
Acts like the globally inspired Nusantara Beat with their Indonesian roots, the gospel tunes of Annie & The Caldwells, and the jazz-fusion stylings of Canadian group BADBADNOTGOOD are also adding to the festival’s diversity. Plus, Indigenous and contemporary artists such as Yothu Yindi and the Afro-funk talents of Obongjayar add to the eclectic and dynamic festival atmosphere.
Besides music, WOMADelaide 2026 offers a full programme featuring dance, visual arts, and intellectual discussions.
For those planning to attend, tickets and thorough festival information are available on the WOMADelaide website. Those in the media field can apply for accreditation through the cited resources on the official festival portal.
The full A-Z list of WOMADelaide 2026 artists is:
- Åkervinda (Sweden)
- Alcides Neto (Brazil/AUS)
- Alfio Antico & Go Dugong (Italy)
- Alogte Oho & His Sounds of Joy (Ghana)
- Annahstasia (USA)
- Annie & The Caldwells (USA)
- Any Young Mechanic (AUS)
- Arrested Development (USA)
- Ashkan Shafiei (Iran/AUS)
- Asmâa Hamzaoui & Bnat Timbouktou (Morocco)
- Australian Art Orchestra with Kojoe & Hikaru Tanaka — Raw Denshi (Japan/AUS)
- BADBADNOTGOOD (Canada)
- Baker Boy (AUS)
- Balaganesan & Bageswari (India)
- BARKAA (AUS)
- Beoga (Ireland)
- Bhutan Balladeers (Bhutan)
- Blinky Bill (Kenya)
- Bobby Alu (Samoa/AUS)
- Born in a Taxi – Higher Order, Illuminati, Please Wait Here, Sleep Keepers & Zebras (AUS)
- BVT (Philippines/AUS)
- Chloe Loftus Dance – The Air Between Us (NZ/Belgium)
- Cie Hors Surface – Le poids des Nuages & HOME, Damien Droin (France)
- Crazy P (DJ set) (UK)
- Daughters of Donbas (Ukraine/Canada)
- Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek (Germany)
- Džambo Aguševi Orchestra (Macedonia)
- Fantastic Negrito (USA)
- Ganavya (India/USA)
- GANNA (Ukraine)
- Georgia Knight (AUS)
- Grace Jones (Jamaica)
- Iron & Wine (USA)
- Jalen Ngonda (USA/UK)
- Jovanotti (Italy)
- Jyoty (UK)
- KAIIT (PNG/AUS)
- Kankawa Nagarra (AUS)
- La Perla (Colombia)
- The Lazy Eyes (AUS)
- Lewis Major Projects – Triptych REDUX (AUS)
- MĀ (NZ)
- Mama Kin Spender (AUS)
- Mantis (Vanuatu)
- Marlon Williams (NZ)
- Maryam Rahmani (Iran/AUS)
- Meganesia (PNG/AUS/West Papua)
- Megatronic (UK)
- Mungo’s Hi Fi feat. Eva Lazarus (UK)
- MY BABY (The Netherlands/NZ)
- My Chérie (South Africa/AUS)
- Nattali Rize (AUS/Jamaica)
- The Necks (AUS)
- Nusantara Beat (The Netherlands)
- Obongjayar (Nigeria/UK)
- Orange Blossom (France)
- Osadía (Spain)
- Oumou Sangaré (Mali)
- Roberto Fonseca (Cuba)
- Rosas – Rosas danst Rosas, Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker (Belgium)
- Sama’ Abdulhadi (Palestine)
- SAN DRAGAN (Myanmar/China/AUS)
- Stan’s Café – Of All The People In All The World & The Commentators (UK)
- Troy Cassar-Daley (AUS)
- Xylourides (Greece)
- YASHA (Japan/AUS)
- Yothu Yindi (AUS)
- Yuka Okazaki (Japan/France)
- The Zawose Queens (Tanzania)
- Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange (AUS)
For more information, click here.
