Rita Ora at 2021 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade
- Written by Matt Fraser
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 GRASSydney Gay and 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 primarily to 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).
