The “queen of neo soul”, Erykah Badu is returning to Australia for the first time in 12 years.
One of the most influential and enduring artists in contemporary music, Erykah Badu is a five-time Grammy Award winner, with wins spanning 1998 to 2025, a cultural icon and the defining voice of the neo-soul movement.
Her return to Australia in April 2026 marks a rare and highly significant moment for audiences, bringing one of the great live performers of the modern era back to Australian stages.
The tour will kick off at Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena on Wednesday, April 1st, before a set at Byron Bay Bluesfest on Friday, April 3rd, and a show at Sydney’s ICC (TikTok Entertainment Centre) on Saturday, April 4th.
Tickets will go on sale at 11am (AEDT) on Tuesday, January 27th. A presale will run from 11am (AEDT) on Friday, January 23rd – sign up here.
Influenced by R&B, 1970s soul and 1980s hip hop, Badu emerged in the 1990s alongside artists such as D’Angelo and Maxwell, reshaping the sound, language and spirit of modern Black music. Her genre-defining debut Baduizm announced a singular new voice, followed by era-defining albums Mama’s Gun and New Amerykah, works that remain foundational to contemporary R&B, soul and hip hop.
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Blending soul, jazz, funk and hip hop with spiritual, political and deeply human themes, Badu has continually pushed artistic boundaries across a career that has remained creatively vital for nearly four decades. Her influence extends far beyond music into film, fashion, visual art and activism, reinforcing her status as one of the most important creative forces of her generation.
Badu has also continued to debut new material through live performance, allowing songs to evolve organically on stage, a process that has long defined her approach to creation. This ongoing output reflects an artist who is not revisiting the past, but continuing to move forward with intention, curiosity and creative freedom.
Renowned for her deeply intuitive, improvisational and emotionally resonant live performances, Erykah Badu’s shows are immersive and unpredictable, shaped by the moment, the audience and the energy in the room. No two performances are ever the same, making each appearance a singular live experience.
For complete tour and ticket information, see here.
ERYKAH BADU AUSTRALIA 2026
Wednesday, April 1st
Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne VIC
Friday, April 3rd
Bluesfest, Byron Bay NSW
Saturday, April 4th
ICC Sydney (TikTok Entertainment Centre), Sydney NSW
