US soul sensation Leon Bridges leads latest Bluesfest announcement

US soul sensation Leon Bridges tops the latest Bluesfest artist announcement, unveiled this morning.

The 28-year-old singer, who’s notched up two Australian sell-out tours, emerged on the scene in 2015 with the critically acclaimed Grammy nominated debut album Coming Home.

He performed for President Barack Obama at the White House and collaborated with Odesza on their single ‘Across The Room’ and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis on ‘Kevin’, and had his 2017 hit ‘River’ featured in the TV series Big Little Lies starring Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon.

Bridges will also play two headline shows, atMelbourne’s Forum on Sunday March 25 and Sydney’s Metro Theatre on Wednesday March 28.

Also in this morning’s announcement were:

* Fast rising Belfast singer-songwriter Ryan McMullan who counts among his fans Ed Sheeran who took him on his European tour, and Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody who hailed him as “One of the most exciting artists to come out of Northern Ireland.”

Bluesfest’s own director, Peter Noble OAM says of him, “He sings like an angel – and writes songs that the world needs to hear.”

* Soul and reggae singer and songwriter Clarence Bekker, and frontman of Playing For Change who have played many Bluesfest sets with their message of peace through music.

* Tay Oskee who won the Byron Bay Busking comp in 2017, is a multi-instrumentalist who plays a variety of guitars, banjo, harmonica and percussion and had his ‘Like Waves’ picked up by triple j.

Some of his influences came from the beauty of the Far North Queensland beachside town of Mission Beach and his early years of living amongst the Aboriginal people of North East Arnhem Land.

* Molly Millington won the Grommet Busking Prize home in 2017. She fuses country, folk and pop, and recorded her new EP Daddy’s Gotta Gun with producer Nick DiDia.

Peter Noble said, “This has become such a special year… full of amazing artists,

“Grammy winners past and present… plenty of great female artists like Ms. Lauryn Hill, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, First Aid Kit AND Australia’s wunderkind Tash Sultana… just to name a few.

“We have got it covered from the Legends to the latest contemporary artists… Lionel Richie and Robert Plant… to the John Butler Trio and Ms. Lauryn Hill… from Boomerang, our indigenous festival within a festival, to just about the best artist bill we have had so far.

“It’s not hard to see why – we have been nominated Best International Music Festival by the American Pollstar Awards – SIX TIMES IN A ROW.”

The 29th Bluesfest is held at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, just outside Byron Bay over the Easter long weekend (Thursday March 29 to Monday April 2.

Playing schedules and all other information at bluesfest.com.au.