CubaDupa is back with an exciting lineup for this year’s event.
Taking place on Wellington’s Cuba Street precinct this weekend on March 23rd-24th, the free and family-friendly festival features an extensive lineup of 250 performances and 800 performers, covering a wide range of music genres and art forms.
To celebrate, here are five artists we’re eagerly anticipating at the 2024 edition.
The full lineup is available to view at cubadupa.co.nz.
MOHI
Rising artist MOHI, accompanied by his 7-piece band, brings his infectious tunes to CubaDupa. Combining traditional Māori elements with neo-soul, pop, and funk, it’s set to be a soul-stirring performance with MOHI’s crooning vocals leading the way. MOHI, also known as Mohi Allen, has been named as one to watch by Live Nation and made Ticketmaster Australia and New Zealand’s Top 10 Breakthrough List of 2024.
Soft Bait
Auckland’s post-punk newcomers, Soft Bait, recently grabbed attention with their debut album, Plot Points. Mixing ruckus, high-energy anthems with moody, gothic-tinged moments, they left a mark. Fresh off a 2023 national tour, the quartet – Joshua Hunter (Vocalist), Ezra Simons (bass), Patrick Hickley (guitar), and Cameron Mackintosh (drums) – has been perfecting their stagecraft while working on their second album. With new material in the pipeline, expect them to bring fresh energy to their upcoming CubaDupa performance.
Romi Wrights
After her dazzling performance opening for US legend Lee Fields at Hollywood Avondale last December, Aotearoa soul/jazz artist Romi Wrights is now set to hit the CubaDupa stage. With recent collaborations like “DOM P” with Nauti, and her own radiant originals such as “Bring it Back” and “Without You”, Wrights promises a captivating set blending orchestral soul, vintage reggae, and funk. She’ll be backed by a stellar lineup of local talents Cory Champion (Yumi Zouma, Grayson Gilmour), Louisa Williamson, Daniel Hayles, Navakatoa Tekela-Pule (Noa Records), and Kenny Sterling (co-founder of Wright’s homegrown label Mānuka Recordings).
Jordyn with a Why
Adding another dose of soulful talent to the festival lineup is Jordyn with a Why, a Samoan/Māori artist whose ethereal R&B tunes have been turning heads for the past few years. Dubbed “Aotearoa’s Indigenous sweetie lover girl” by CubaDupa, Jordyn with a Why dropped a series of swoon-worthy anthems last year. Among them was “He Rei Niho”, following the success of her acclaimed 2022 release “Brown Melodies”, which earned a nomination for Best Single at the 2022 Māori Awards.
Lost Tribe Aotearoa
Get set for the mighty eight-piece Raglan-based family band, Lost Tribe Aotearoa, to unleash their feel-good tunes at CubaDupa. Their reggae-inspired sound, blended with blues, ska, rock, and hip-hop, as showcased on their EP Lost & Found, promises big-stage energy and summer vibes.
