Aussie Hip Hop

Returning To Brisbane, Adelaide & Sydney & For The First Time Bringing The Full Festival To Melbourne

Australia’s mainstay summer festival FOMO returns this January, today announcing a colossal line-up of artists leading the forefront in hip-hop and electronic music, all with zero timetable clashes. After selling out all dates, Melbourne’s FOMO By Night and every sideshow in 2018, the one-stage event returns in 2019 for their biggest tour to date, and for the first time offers a full-day instalment in the heart of Melbourne. 

A soaring reputation for curating unmissable line-ups starring local and international talent, FOMO promises maximum fun in 2019, with megastar MC Nicki Minaj leading the charge on her first ever Australian festival appearance. Needing no introduction, Minaj is one of the world’s most influential hip-hop artists, consistently storming world music charts and collecting Billboard Music Awards and BET Awards, alongside numerous Grammy Award nominations. Fronting the FOMO trail, the queen of rap with an undeniable legacy is set to deliver hits past and present, like “Bed” feat. Ariana Grandeand “Chun-Li” off this year’s hugely received Queen album.

Joining Minaj is Mississippi hip-hop duo, Rae Sremmurd aka beloved brothers Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi. Igniting the FOMO stage with their multi-platinum releases “Black Beatles”, “No Type”, and critically acclaimed triple album SR3MM, the duo will inject chaotic energy into every set. Continuing the rollout of international acts you’ve been dying to see, Lil Pump will bring his charismatic repertoire to Australian fans for the very first time. Since the age of 16, the South Florida artist has torn through the hip-hop landscape, amassing over 2 billion streams and counting for releases like “Gucci Gang”, “Flex Like Ouu” and “Esskeetit”. With his new album Harvard Dropout set for release on September 14, audiences won’t have to wait long for the effervescent rapper to bring it to the live stage.

Guernsey-born producer Mura Masa is joining the pack for 2019, delivering his tropical-inflected house and beat-heavy hits to FOMO. Making his mark on 2018 with standalone single “Move Me” and featuring on the catchiest disco tune of the year, “Til The World Falls” with Nile Rodgers, Chic and Nao, Mura Masa will have audiences in a dance induced state. Featuring a set of world-class Grammy-nominated collaborations, including the A$AP Rocky featured “Love$ick”, “Firefly” and “What If I Go?”, the producer and multi-instrumentalist will bring his intricate brand of hip-hop / electronica to adoring fans. The utterly individual, Kali Uchis will be heading down under for her Australian debut at FOMO, hot on the release of her triple j Feature Album Isolation. Fearlessly creative in her artistry, Kali’s guest features prior to Isolation have all seen Grammy nominations, including collaborations with Gorillaz and Tyler The Creator, who returned the favour on her track “After The Storm”. 

Ahead of his forthcoming debut album and adding to the jaw-dropping line-up is Dutch electronic connoisseur San Holo, whose experimental finesse joins Australian dance music royalty, Anna Lunoe. Lunoe will return from her current Los Angeles base – where she runs her own label, is a regular host on Beats 1 Radio & continuously releases her work on coveted labels Mad Decent and OWSLA. Also welcomed to the FOMO family in 2019, is the avant-garde and unrestrained sound design of Glaswegian producer SOPHIE following her Oil Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides album release earlier this year, and London’s Cosha (formerly Bonzai) with her unmissable sound.  

Representing the local rota of talent, is the hip-hop mastery of Zimbabwe-Australian beat-maker Carmouflage Rose, Newcastle prodigy turned national crowd favourite Just A Gent, and Melbourne DJ queen MIMI, each bringing an infectious on-stage fervour. Always a proud supporter of Australia’s up-and-coming talent, FOMO’s partnership with triple j Unearthed makes a much-anticipated return, inviting four different artists per city to join the 2019 tour. 

FOMO not only brings a one-day festival to four cities this year, but will continue to support music charity Heaps Decent alongside a new partnership with the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, donating one dollar for every online ticket sold to their powerful causes. Heaps Decent have worked with young people across Australia’s metropolitan, regional and remote areas, providing quality music and art workshops to build positive stories, connections and community engagement through music production, recording and multimedia visual arts. The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre works tirelessly to provide aid and advocacy for refugees and people seeking asylum, maximising their wellbeing through food, education, healthcare, housing and employment support. As an independent human rights organisation, they also provide legal aid and advocate for social change. 

FOMO remains dedicated to keeping ticket prices at an affordable cost for attendees. Returning in 2019 will be a Payment Plan option, available for festival goers in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne who’d like to contribute monthly instalments to their ticket cost. This year, FOMO will also launch an official resale portal and suppress ticket delivery to a later date post-purchase, ensuring fans and supporters can safely sell and purchase re-homed tickets.

On Saturday January 5, the FOMO tour will kick off where it all began at Brisbane’s Riverstage, before venturing south to Adelaide’s Elder Park on Sunday January 6. The festival will then voyage to Parramatta Park’s natural amphitheatre on Saturday January 12, ahead of a spectacular inaugural closing date in Melbourne, seeing ticket-holders grace the outdoor Flemington Racecourse on Sunday, January 13.

Expanding to other cities from a one-night dance party in Melbourne, FOMO By Night will make a welcomed return in 2019 to new soon-to-be-revealed cities, while FOMO Eats will share a delectable offering of locally sourced produce and beverages at all shows from some of Australia’s greatest makers. Stay across further updates as FOMO readies itself for Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne early next year, but for now, don’t sleep on scoring the ticket of the summer. For your only chance to score the cheapest FOMO19 tickets, sign up for the exclusive FOMO pre-sale before Tuesday September 4 at 8PM local time. Pre-sale access kicks off at 10AM local time Wednesday September, before general on-sale at 10AM local time Thursday September 6.

PRESENTED BY BBE & TRIPLE J

FOMO 2019
NICKI MINAJ ~ RAE SREMMURD ~ LIL PUMP
MURA MASA ~ KALI UCHIS ~ SAN HOLO 
ANNA LUNOE ~ SOPHIE ~ COSHA
CARMOUFLAGE ROSE ~ JUST A GENT
MIMI ~ triple j UNEARTHED WINNER

Saturday 5 January 2019 – FOMO, Riverstage, Brisbane
Sunday 6 January 2019 – FOMO, Elder Park, Adelaide (16+)
Saturday 12 January 2019 – FOMO, Parramatta Park, Sydney
Sunday 13 January 2019 – FOMO, Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne (16+)

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Pre-sale access via www.fomofestival.com.au
FOMO pre-sale: 10AM local time, Wednesday, September 5th
General on-sale: 10AM local time, Thursday September 6th

Source: AllAussieHipHop.com