All the must-see female acts at this year’s Bluesfest –

With the countdown to Bluesfest 2023 already in full swing, we’re compiling the selection of must-see female acts who will be taking to the stages at Tree Farm this Easter.

The 2023 Bluesfest edition is just a matter of weeks away. Boasting one of its most prominent and genre-bending line-ups to date, the Australian festival mainstay is poised to roll over Byron Bay’s Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm with a host of top-notch local and international acts. This year’s event is headlined by icons Bonnie Raitt and The Doobie Brothers, as well as homegrown stars like Tash Sultana and Gang of Youths.

With new batches of talent added to the already busy 2023 bill ahead of the Easter long weekend start date (April 6th – April 10th), we’ve already compiled our picks of must-see local and classic acts. Now that the countdown is on to the festival’s first international event since 2019, we’re sorting our picks for the must-see female acts to perform at this year’s Bluesfest.

Damie Im

Dami Im already cracked our list of must-see local acts at Bluesfest, but the singer-songwriter’s illustrious career justifies more than a second attendance. The 2013 X factor The winner and Eurovision Song Contest entrant has represented Australian music in every detail, an achievement reflected in the platinum status of her self-titled second album.

Elsewhere, Im has released a string of smash hit singles including Sound of silence, alive, super love And Gladiator, All of this will no doubt be part of her setlist when she takes the stage at Bluesfest on Saturday April 8th and Sunday April 9th.

Lisa Hunt

For three days (April 8 – April 10), Lisa Hunt will grace the stage, arriving at Bluesfest armed with her powerful soul singing and years of experience collaborating with the likes of Jimmy Barnes and Diesel. Elsewhere, the singer has shared the stage with Brian May, Eric Clapton and Dionne Warwick, making her debut with 1989 A little piece of magic.

Hunt – who also contributed to the animation’s soundtrack with Billy Crystal Good night vibes and has starred in several Off-Broadway shows – will be returning to Bluesfest 2023 after her packed set at the 2008 edition.

Bonnie Raitt

Following her clean-cut victory at this year’s Grammy Awards (where she defeated the likes of Taylor Swift and Beyoncé for the coveted Song of the Year trophy), Bonnie Raitt will bring her legendary discography to the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm this Easter. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers and Rolling Stone The 100 Greatest Guitarists contestant performs at Bluesfest on April 9th ​​and 10th.

Raitt will no doubt come equipped with multi-award-winning albums Nick of the time And luck of the drawas well as her experience collaborating with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson and Keb’ Mo, the latter of whom is also part of the Bluesfest 2023 lineup.

Roshani

Pundits will be more than happy to welcome Bluesfest’s Breakthrough Artist of 2022 back on stage. Genre-blurring Roshani has garnered attention for her transcendence from total blues to folk and electro house. Roshani will be part of the Bluesfest program for Sunday (April 9th) and Monday (April 10th) where she will bring her repertoire of foot pedals, loop stations, synths, harmonicas and – perhaps most captivatingly – lush vocal harmonies.

Beth Hart

Beth Hart’s first-ever solo performance in Australia will be at Bluesfest, a milestone that adds to the musician’s already extensive list of accolades. Hart’s 2013 covers album seesaw — co-created by Joe Bonamassa – received a Grammy nomination for Best Blues Album, in addition to a slew of separate nominations at the Blues Music Awards.

Hart’s smash singles include LA song, i will take care of you, Better than at home, fire on the groundAnd Bang bang boom boom. Be sure to catch Heart’s Australian solo debut set when she takes to the Bluesfest stage on Thursday (6 April), Saturday (8 April) and Monday (10 April).

Larkin Poe

Larkin Poe, led by sisters Rebecca Lovell and Megan Lovell, will be performing at Bluesfest for the second time after her set at the 2019 edition. Larkin Poe mixes gospel-like melodies with somber vocals and has been praised by the likes of Keith Urban, Bob Seger and Russell Crowe and has released two albums in 2020 with the title self made man And like-minded people. Larkin Poe will perform at Bluesfest on Thursday and Friday (April 6-7).

Lucinda Williams

With three decades in the industry and just as many Grammy wins, Lucinda Williams has little interest in slowing down. Williams’ first two albums — Down where the spirit meets the bone And Ghosts of Highway 20 – were released in 2014 and 2016, with their follow-up appearing in the 2020s Good soul, better angels.

The latter project earned Williams two Grammy nominations, with the tracks later being performed by the singer and appearing on late-night talk shows The New York Times And Rolling Stone. Williams will grace the Bluesfest stage on Thursday and Friday (April 6-7).

Nicki Hill

Armed with the latest album of 2018 feline roots, Nikki Hill will bring her signature blues and roots sound to the Bluesfest stage this Easter, with performances scheduled for each day of the four-day event (April 6th – April 10th). Hill’s three-album catalog includes the 2013 debut This is Nikki Hill and its 2015 sequel heavy hearts, hard fists, The latter is responsible for the singer-songwriter’s million-dollar streaming numbers.

Mavi’s staples

Rightly billed as a global national treasure, Mavi’s staplesHis lauded career will include an exciting two-day stint at Bluesfest 2023 (April 9-10). Staples’ full-length collaborative album with Grammy winner Ben Harper – titled We’ll get through — arrived in 2019, adding to the already illustrious career of the i will take you there Singer.

Staples’ accolades include induction into the Blues and Rock Hall of Fame, twelve studio albums, civil rights activist status, Grammy Award wins and a Kennedy Center Honoree. Synced from NPR as “one of America’s defining voices for freedom and peace,“Mavis Staples 2023 Bluesfest set is undoubtedly a must-have.