ARIA-nominated artist Mo’Ju will release a new live album, Mo’Ju with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (Double J Live at the Wireless), on Friday, September 26th via ABC Music.
The album was recorded during a 2023 performance at Melbourne’s Hamer Hall and features orchestral reimaginings of Mo’Ju’s catalogue, including their acclaimed single “Native Tongue”. First released in 2018, the track has become one of Mo’Ju’s defining works, exploring themes of identity, heritage and belonging.
The concert was arranged by composer Jamie Messenger and conducted by Nicholas Buc. The performance brought together Mo’Ju’s distinctive songwriting with the scope of a full symphony orchestra, offering new interpretations of both recent and earlier material.
Mo’Ju comments, “After 20 odd years of touring, it starts becoming rare to have new experiences in that space, but I had never really done anything like this. Hearing your music arranged and performed by an orchestra is a very emotional thing. I don’t think I’d even dared to dream of something like it. It seemed unlikely for someone like me. So to not only have done this, but to have committed it to record… working with such incredibly talented people, I’m very proud of it but I’m also humbled by it.”
The release follows Mo’Ju’s fourth studio album, Oro, Plata, Mata, which was launched in 2023 to critical acclaim. That record was celebrated with large-scale performances at the Sydney Opera House and Hamer Hall, where Mo’Ju’s seven-piece band was joined on stage by the Sydney and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras.
In 2025, Mo’Ju will return to touring with a series of intimate performances across Australia. Stripping back to piano and vocals, the shows will present songs from across four albums and two EPs in their rawest form. Mo’Ju will be joined on stage by pianist and long-time collaborator Lewis Coleman.
The run of dates includes stops in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Tasmania and Adelaide, with appearances at venues ranging from historic churches to festivals.
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Mo’Ju Australian Shows 2025
Thursday, October 2
Werner Brodbeck Hall, Melbourne, VIC
Friday, October 3
St Andrew’s Uniting Church, Brisbane, QLD
Saturday, October 4
St Stephen’s Church, Sydney, NSW
Friday, October 10
The Pier, Ulverstone, TAS
Saturday, October 11
Du Cane Brewing, Launceston, TAS
Sunday, October 12
Longley Hotel, Hobart, TAS
Friday, October 17
OzAsia Festival, Adelaide, SA
