International chart-topping pop star Rita
Ora heads up a superstar line-up of entertainment
planned for the 2021 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi
Gras Parade on Saturday 6 March
2021.
The UK powerhouse behind hit tracks
“Anywhere” and new release “Big”, Ora
will light up the Sydney Cricket Ground
with her performance. Transforming the venue into a
sparkling showcase of LGBTQI+ culture and community, further
entertainment on the night will include soulful electronic
duo Electric Fields, ARIA Award-winning
art-pop songwriter Montaigne, and indie pop
darling G Flip presented by
TikTok.
“The Parade is such a special event for the
community,” said Mardi Gras CEO Albert
Kruger. “It is a loud, proud and welcoming
celebration of community spirit and
connectedness.”
“The move to the SCG has presented
us with a unique opportunity to add to the spectacle of the
Parade with some truly awe-inspiring performances and we are
thrilled to have a world-wide superstar in Rita Ora join
this once-in-a-lifetime Parade. As always we have a few more
surprises in store for the night, so keep an eye out” said
Kruger.
The fun begins at 4pm when gates open to the
public. Audiences will be treated to two hours of pre-Parade
entertainment featuring renowned local DJs Kitty
Glitter and Dan Murphy on the
decks. Hosts with the most, Bob Downe and
Julie McCrossin will add to the exciting
atmosphere with witty banter, historical anecdotes and more
than a few laughs, before crossing over to Nell
Schofield and Kyle Olsen who’ll
voiceover the Parade live.
A very special
Welcome to Country curated by Ben
Graetz will be performed at 6pm featuring
Aunty Yvonne Weldon, singer/songwriter
Scott Hunter, plus Koomurri
dancers, NAISDA dancers, and Buuja
Butterfly dancers.
Then at 6:30pm the crowd
will be revved up as the Dykes on Bikes
take to the stadium on their hogs to perform a lap,
heralding the start of the glittering Parade, led with the
First Nations and 78ers
floats.
A limited final release of tickets to
watch the Parade live from the Sydney Cricket Ground go on
sale from 2pm AEDT today at www.mardigras.org.au.
For
those that can’t join the action at the SCG,
Parade partner SBS will be broadcasting the
Parade live so audiences around Australia can watch from
home, or at one of many Parade viewing events taking place
in venues across the country.
THE
DETAILS
What: 2021 Sydney Gay and
Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade
Where: Sydney
Cricket Ground (SCG) + live broadcast on
SBS
When: Saturday 6 March,
2021
Tickets: Adults $20, Group bookings
of four $50, Children under 15 or concession
$15
More info: www.mardigras.org.au
Watch
the 2021 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi
Gras live on Saturday 6 March from 6pm
AEDT on SBS On Demand, or catch the full Parade at 7:30pm
AEDT on SBS and NITV.
ABOUT SYDNEY
GAY AND LESBIAN MARDI GRAS
Sydney Gayand
Lesbian Mardi Gras is the non-for-profit member-based
organisation that produces the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi
Gras Parade and Festival as well as a number of other events
throughout the year. SGLMG exists primarilyto develop the
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras for the benefit of
Sydney’s LGBTQI+ community, the enjoyment of a wider
audience and as a global beacon of diversity, acceptance and
LGBTQI+ rights.
ARTIST BIOS
Rita
Ora
Rita Ora is an international critically acclaimed
singer-songwriter with four #1 UK singles and holds the
record for the most Top 10 singles for a British female
artist in the UK in history with a total of 13. In 2021, she
launched the global collaboration Bang, with GRAMMY
nominated Kazakh DJ and record producer Imanbek. Written and
produced over Zoom by Rita and Imanbek and featuring David
Guetta, Gunna and Argentinian rapper KHEA, the four track EP
is a mix of modern pop, 80s and 90s club culture and
floor-filling house. The EP is the follow up to her album
Phoenix, which has amassed over 3.7 billion streams
worldwide, spawned 3 platinum singles and includes “Lonely
Together,” her collaboration with Avicii which won “Best
Dance” VMA at the MTV Video Music Awards. In addition, her
debut album, Ora, debuted at #1 on the UK charts and
was certified platinum.
G Flip
If you aren’t
familiar with G Flip yet, you will be soon. The Melbourne,
Australia based drummer, singer producer, and self-taught
writer has been making waves overseas for the past 2 years.
Since her debut hit ‘About You’ took her from Melbourne
bedroom producer to national superstar earning global
attention from triple j, Pitchfork, Pigeons & Planes,
Gorilla vs. Bear, and Line of Best Fit.
Fast forward 2
years and G has sold out all 5 of her Australian headline
tours, been nominated for 3x ARIA awards (Australian
equivalent to the Billboard Music Awards) and has played
across the world at festivals like Neon Lights,
Lollapalooza, Splendour In The Grass, Laneway Festival,
& SXSW.
Her debut album ‘About Us’ (August
2019) debuted at #1 on the ARIA vinyl charts & #6
digitally, was a triple j feature album of the week and
earned praise from Rolling Stone, NME and
more–earning over 110 million streams globally.
In
2020, G Flip returned with singles ‘Hyperfine’, ‘You
& I’ and ‘I’D RATHER GO TO BED’ and has remained
a radio darling and fan favorite back home in Australia. In
2021, G Flip goes global with a few international
collaborations tucked under her sleeve. The first of which
kicks off in January 2021, features US indie pop darling
mxmtoon, the two join together on female anthem ‘Queen’.
The song which is inspired by drag culture is produced by
Rostam Batmanglij (HAIM,
Clairo).
Montaigne
The voice of
the new generation, Sydney based artist Montaigne (born Jess
Cerro) at only 24 has become a major name in Aussie indie
music. The past few years have seen her recognised for her
work with multiple spots on the triple j’s Hottest 100, an
ARIA award for ‘Best Breakthrough Artist’ and a further
nomination for ‘Best Female Artist’ in 2016, plus
J-Award nominations. Her debut album ‘Glorious Heights’
(produced by Tony Buchen) hit the charts at #4 and her
sophomore album ‘COMPLEX’ was released in 2019 to rave
reviews. Singles such as ‘Ready’ gained extensive
commercial radio play and propelled her even further into
prominence. As Craig Mathieson of the Sydney Morning Herald
put it, ‘Montaigne creates music that has a thrilling
waywardness, baroque pomp and storm-the-stage
energy.’
Just off her third national tour, Montaigne
has played notable festivals like Splendour in the Grass,
Lost Paradise, Woodford Folk Festival, Groovin the Moo,
Party in the Paddock, Field Day and WOMADelaide. Having
opened for international acts like Cindy Lauper and Blondie,
this young performer continues to garner high praise for her
stunning live presence. ‘Her performance will go down as
one of the best concerts of the year, without a doubt,’
wrote The Music of her most recent Sydney show, ‘and we
were lucky to bear witness to the chrysalis.’
Having
just taken out the Eurovision: Australia Decides 2020
competition, Montaigne will be bringing her latest single
‘Don’t Break Me’ to represent Australia on the world
stage at Rotterdam in May of next year. Her challenging and
inspiring lyrics are reminiscent of the philosopher who
inspired her moniker. With melodies to get lost in, and the
most energetic of live performances – Montaigne represents
the next generation of artists who march to the beat of
their own drum.
Electric Fields
Multi-award
winning Electric Fields create a striking and
haunting merging of living traditional culture with
electronic music, bringing moments of breathtaking beauty
and power to the stage. Featuring the rare and beautiful
voice of Zaachariaha Fielding – who often sings in his
traditional languages of the Anangu people – and the
brilliance of producer Michael Ross – Electric Fields
music ranges from soulful pop, to epic-scale electronic
works, through to intensely intimate story-songs. Named as
finalist for the ARIA Awards 2019’s Best Australian
Live Act, Electric Fields took out 7 awards in Dec 2019
– the 3 top spots for the National Live Music Awards:
Best Live Act, Best Live Voice, and Electronic Act
of the Year; the National Dreamtime Award; the
Corner Award, and two South Australian Music Awards.
Coming close 2nd in Eurovision: Australia Decides,
they trended worldwide on Twitter at #7 within minutes
of their performance. Featured in Vogue Magazine as
movers for Next Gen, during 2019 they played for
Apple, the APRA Awards, SPOTIFY’s Front Left
showcase, Splendour in the Grass, Vogue
Magazine, and launched their first self-curated
national tour, with sell-out shows across
Australia.
Julie McCrossin
Julie McCrossin
gets people talking. After over 20 years as a broadcaster
with ABC Radio National, ABC TV and Network Ten, she is now
a freelance journalist and broadcaster. Julie also
facilitates conferences and seminars. Julie has
qualifications in the arts, education and law. After
treatment for stage four throat cancer in 2013, Julie is now
an Ambassador for Head & Neck Cancer Australia (formerly
BeyondFive), Targeting Cancer and TROG Cancer Research.
Julie hosts the podcast series, The Thing About Cancer and
The Thing About Advanced Cancer for Cancer Council NSW.
Julie also hosts the new podcast series produced for
patients and family members by Head & Neck Cancer
Australia. In 2019, Julie was awarded a Member of the Order
of Australia for significant service to the community,
particularly through LGBTIQ advocacy roles and to the
broadcast media.
Bob Downe
Bob Downe is one of
Australia’s most loved and enduring comedy characters, the
creation of journalist, comedian, actor and broadcaster MARK
TREVORROW.
Mark created BOB DOWNE in September 1984 at
the Glebe Food Fair in Sydney, and has toured the world as
the Prince of Polyester ever since – including a nomination
for Best Newcomer at the inaugural Melbourne International
Comedy Festival (1987), a Glasgow Mayfest Award (1994),
consecutive Melbourne Green Room Awards for Best Cabaret
Artiste (1999 & 2000), five sellout Sydney Opera House
seasons and 18 Edinburgh Fringe festivals. In 2013 he was
presented with another Green Room Award, for Lifetime
Achievement in Cabaret. Bob’s 2014 production show, BOB
SWEAT & TEARS was nominated for four more Green Room
Awards.
Bob has been headlining regularly since 2016
on P&O Comedy Cruises around Australia and
NZ.
Bob’s multiple Australian and U.K. television
credits include hosting the SYDNEY GAY & LESBIAN MARDI
GRAS PARADE broadcast a total of nine times. Other TV
credits include hosting KARAOKE DOKEY (Foxtel, 2007), THE
BOB DOWNE SHOW (TV1/Foxtel Australia, 2000-01), FABULOUS,
FAMOUS & FORGOTTEN (Network Ten, 2000), BOB DOWNE ALL
OVER BRITAIN (BBC/UK Play, 1998), THE BOB DOWNE SPECIAL (ITV
UK, 1996), THE ROYAL VARIETY PERFORMANCE (ITV, 1995) and BOB
DOWNE UNDER (LWT,
1991).
