Soulfest - First Line Up Announcement

Can you remember an Australian music festival in recent history that had three female artists as its main headliners? I can't. Hats off to Soulfest for their 2015 artist curation, which places talented queens Mary J. Blige and Jill Scott, and contemporary R & B singer Jhene Aiko (pictured), front and centre. Aiko, who often collaborates with Chance the Rapper, is a name you'll be familiar with if you read Pilerats - we included her in our round up of artists who may one day usurp Beyonce's throne. Mary J Blige, too, is an artist we've covered recently - specifically, the R & B diva's move into more contemporary house collaborations, with Disclosure. 

We're already sold just on those three ladies, but stoked to find out Australia's Remi is on the bill too! He's been leading the new wave of hip hop artists coming out of Australia. We're excited to see that Thandie Phoenix, who we also included in that list, joins the US ladies on the line up, as well as rising talent Maribelle, who recently guested on a track with Lojack.

Another highlight comes by way of young singer BJ The Chicago Kid, who dropped some of 2015's best R & B tracks, and has guested with Schoolboy Q, as well as bringing in Freddie Gibbs, Smoke DZA and Sasha Go Hard on his album The MAFE Project late last year. Brooklyn-based socially conscious singer / rapper Talib Kweli will be in Australia for the event, as will legends De La Soul, and multi-Grammy Award winning artist Charlie Wilson ('Uncle Charlie'), whose recently been collaborating with Kanye West, is sure to seduce one and all with his classics. 

All in all, over 20 live acts and DJs will play across two stages in a 10 hour long hip hop buffet. The festival, which will be hosted by triple j Hip Hop show presenter Hau, takes place in Melbourne and Sydney later this year, with sideshows still to be announced in Perth and Brisbane. The full line up is below, with a second announcement still to come. 

LINE UP: 

Mary J. Blige
Jill Scott
Jhene Aiko
Charlie Wilson
Talib Kweli
De La Soul
Dwele
Eric Benet
Floetry
Daniel Merriweather
Remi
BJ Chicago Kid
Kamasi Washington
Thandie Phoenix
DJ Trey
Soul of Sydney DJs
Maribelle

DATES:

Sat Oct 25 - The Domain, Sydney.

Sun Oct 26 - Myer Music Bowl & Kings Domain Precinct, Melbourne.

Head to their website to buy tickets.