An Islander special returns to Sidney Myer Music Bowl

After its roaring success in 2021, the all-ages celebration PASIFIX is coming back to Sidney Myer Music Bowl, to put Australia’s proud Pacific Islander community front and centre for one special night only.

Held as part of the Live at the Bowl festival, and presented by First Nations owned and operated Gaba Musik and Arts Centre Melbourne, the event will take place on March 18 from 3.30pm, with an even bigger line-up of talented creatives.

Curated by Papua New Guinean-Australian musician, producer, and Gaba Musik artistic director, Airileke Ingram, this year’s line-up is one not to miss.

“The line-up is bigger and better than ever before,” Mr Ingram said.

International borders have opened up since the first PASIFIX in 2021, so we are looking forward to bringing artists from Aotearoa-New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the USA.

Excited to be performing this year at PASIFIX for the first time is ARIA award-winning soulful songstress Kaiit, who said she couldn’t wait to be among other islanders.

“I am looking forward to seeing all the Islanders and islands on show, getting front and centre, expressing our beautiful ways, and singing to the spirits, which I am definitely going to be doing there as well,” Kaiit said.

“This festival is a space for Islanders and that’s always so special and something I don’t get to do often to this scale. I am very excited to see Islanders who are not performing as well, and to talk Tok Pisin, the main dialect from Papua New Guinea, to any PNG mob that is going to be there.”

Kaiit is also currently working on her set list, which will include some songs that are yet to be released.

“I’m going to be performing with my band at this show and we have been practicing and sound really beautiful,” Kaiit said.

“I’m just really keen to sing, and sing a lot of songs that are unreleased and haven’t been heard yet.”

Joining Kaiit at PASIFIX, will be a multitude of artists who will be combining the fresh and urban with the ancient and traditional, through Polynesian choirs, sweet Hawaiian reggae, Aotearoa hip-hop and soul, Aussie drill rap, dances, log drumming, and the tribal sounds of Papua New Guinea and West Papua.

The event will be led by a MC duo, featuring Samoan-Australian music journalist and host of 3RRR’s Window Seat, Sosefina Fuamoli, and Samoan-GuriNgai artist, DJ and host of Triple J’s Mix Up, Latifa Tee.

A number of surrounding stalls will also be prepped and ready to serve up some of the best dishes from the Pacific Islands, for all to enjoy.

Live at the Bowl is an annual four-month Arts Centre Melbourne festival that started in early January and will run up until the end of April. March will also see renowned New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde perform from March 10 to 11.

For more information: artscentremelbourne.com.au/festival-and-series/live-at-the-bowl

Captions: @kaiit_isshe, and Mark Gambino.