WOMAD AOTEAROA 2025: Unveils Tui Stage & New Exciting Artist Additions

WOMAD Aotearoa is thrilled to unveil an exciting new addition to this year’s festival: the Tui Stage. Formerly known as the Dell, this revitalised area takes inspiration from the vibrant beauty of Pukekura Park, the home of WOMAD Aotearoa.

The Tui Stage will offer a relaxing sanctuary by day, featuring shaded seating, delicious food traders, and a refreshing bar. As the afternoon fades, it will transform as some of Aotearoa's hottest DJs spin a mix of house, techno, and bass-heavy beats, flowing well into the night.

Over the three days of WOMAD, the revamped Tui Stage will feature a handpicked lineup of DJs, each known for their ability to fuel the dancefloor.

Don’t miss Poppa Jax, a proud Wahine Māori, bringing an electrifying mix of future beats and international sounds.

Also on the lineup: Pixie Lane, with her unique blend of house, techno, disco, electro, and bass; Tim Richards, whose sets bring the heat with futuristic house and bass-driven analogue techno; and LittleWild, delivering high-energy house, indie-dance, and techno to keep you bouncing.

Ben Parkes will skillfully blend deep house, tech house, and progressive house, going B2B with Stace for a session packed with infectious energy, big rolling basslines, and feel-good vibes.

Representing Taranaki, Slimo brings his roots in hip-hop DJing and turntablism, while Hoetz delivers high-octane drum and bass, loaded with heavy basslines and signature double drops.

In addition, WOMAD Aotearoa is thrilled to announce Jordyn with a Why, a soulful Māori-Samoan R&B artist who blends neo-soul grooves with occasional pop twists, to its already stellar lineup. She will perform alongside an impressive mix of international and local talent, including Nitin Sawhney, the UK-based musician and composer renowned for his genre-defying music; Queen Omega, the powerhouse reggae artist from Trinidad and Tobago; Róisín Murphy, the iconic Irish electronic pop artist known for her bold, boundary-pushing sound; and Aotearoa’s own indie rock-power-pop group, The Beths.

The full 2025 stage schedule will be announced in the coming days, with WOMAD's signature approach to programming ensuring that festival-goers won’t miss a beat. In true WOMAD tradition, most acts will be performing multiple times across the festival’s diverse stages, giving fans ample opportunity to catch their favourite artists.

As well as the four diverse music stages, The Kunming Garden will once again host the World of Words, featuring poetry slams, author talks, podcasts, and comedy. The OMV STEAM Lab will offer captivating sessions with innovators and visionaries across various fields, including marine biology, chocolate making, song creation, and the science of sleep—giving attendees the chance to explore new ideas and challenge the status quo. Te Paepae will celebrate Māori culture, while TOP Taste the World will offer interactive cooking demonstrations paired with live music, storytelling, and cultural anecdotes to nourish both body and soul. Artists will also share the artistry behind their traditional techniques in workshops held throughout the festival. For young festival goers, Kidzone will provide a whirlwind of imagination and colour and the Global Village will offer an array of food, fashion, art, and unique treasures with over 100 exciting stalls.

Whether chilling in the shade, vibing lakeside, dancing under the stars, something unforgettable for everyone will be happening at WOMAD Aotearoa 2025.

WOMAD Aotearoa 2025 Festival line Up:

47Soul (Palestine/Jordan) *Amaru Tribe (Australia) * Ana Carla Maza (Cuba) * Bala Desejo (Brazil) * Ben Parkes (Aotearoa) Black Comet (Aotearoa) * CHAII (Aotearoa) * Delgres (France/Guadeloupe) * Etran de’Lair (Niger) * Goran Bregović & his Wedding & Funeral Band (Bosnia/Herzegovina) Hoetz (Aotearoa) * Jordyn with a Why (Aotearoa) * LittleWild (Aotearoa) * Nana Benz Du Togo (Togo) * Nitin Sawhney (UK) * Not Drowning, Waving + Telek (Australia/Papua New Guinea) * O. (UK) * Pixie Lane (Aotearoa) * Poppa Jax (Aotearoa) * Protoje & The Indiggnation (Jamaica) * Queen Omega (Trinidad & Tobago) * Róisín Murphy (Ireland) * Satish Vyas & U Rajesh (India) * Slimo (Aotearoa) * Stace (Aotearoa) * Talisk (Scotland) * The Beths (Aotearoa) * The Veils & NZTrio (Aotearoa) * Tim Richards (Aotearoa) Ukulele Death Squad (Australia) * Who Shot Scott (Aotearoa/Iraq)

© Scoop Media