Splore Adds Hip Hop Brilliance And Wellness Escapes

Multiple ARIA Award winner, Genesis Owusu will make his New Zealand festival debut at Splore next February 25. The Ghanaian-Australian hip hop artist dominated last month’s awards in Australia, claiming Album Of The Year, Best Hip Hop Release and Best Independent Release for Smiling With No Teeth, an album that also claimed Best Cover Art. He also won big at the Triple J Awards, being picked as Artist of the Year.

Joining Genesis will be American singer, Amanda Palmer, one half of punk cabaret act, Dresden Dolls. Amanda made a brief cameo at Splore 2021 and will be doing a full set on Splore’s cabaret stage.

Splore’s main stage will host rising local hip hop artist Diggy Dupe and friends with a debut Polynesian Panther soundtrack showcase; and Antix will celebrate a 25th Anniversary set; Concord Dawn will lay down a huge drum and bass marker; and Theia will present a debut festival live set for her debut album.

Also added to the programme are Paddy Free and Moana Maniapoto’s TU project, Beacon Bloom, Chiccoreli + MC Tali, Lady Shaka, Dubhead, Benny Salvador, DylanBiscuit, King Kapisi, Jamie Newman, Janiac, Murry Sweetpants, Matt Rapid and Alleykat.

Wendy’s Wellness, now an integral part of the Splore Festival will offer a full weekend of wellness goodness. Splorers can up their skills in workshops that includes clay play to breathwork, acro yoga to laughter yoga, sensory bass to African dance, tips on how to F**k a goddess to the art of a good foot massage.

Wendy Douglas, Splore’s Wellness Co-ordinator says “whilst Splorers love to get dressed up and party, some are looking for a more balanced experience and want to get up for yoga class in the morning or listen to an interesting talk, or get a treatment. Wendy’s Wellness provides the perfect counterbalance”.

People can book to see healing practitioners, there will be massage, reiki, henna tattoos, tarot readings and reflexology. Bookings can be made via the Splore website a week before the festival begins.

Wellness also includes smaller more intimate Tent talks covering a range of topics from self transformation to creating cannabinoid oils from maca. There’ll also be wellness activities at the lagoon with SUP and SUP yoga, beach yoga and for the first time the DJ stage will host an ecstatic dance on Saturday afternoon from midday, facilitated by Layla Gordine and DJ Blase. The wellness zone turns into Wendy’s Wellness After Dark, a dedicated chill out zone where you’ll find DJs, dance and live music. A full wellness programme will be announced in January.

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