Pop superstar Kesha has been confirmed as the headliner for Mighty Hoopla Sydney, which will take place at Bondi Beach in February during the Mardi Gras festival.
Fans had long speculated that the Joyride singer would lead the line-up after her Tits Out tour skipped Sydney when its Australian dates were first announced – and because the festival’s London event in June also featured the pop star.
“After Kesha’s incredible headline performance with us in London earlier this year, we knew she was the only artist we wanted to make our Australian debut with,” said Mighty Hoopla co-founder Jamie Tagg.
Kesha will perform at Bondi on Saturday, February 21, following a show in Brisbane on the Thursday night. The rest of the line-up is still to be revealed, but organisers have promised “iconic artists, draggy royalty, DJs and queer party collectives”.
The Bondi event will be Fuzzy’s second party at the beach in coming months, with the promoter also staging a New Year’s Eve event called elrow. Tickets for Mighty Hoopla Sydney start at $169 plus booking fees, slightly cheaper than elrow, which starts at $197.80 plus fees.
Presale tickets for Mighty Hoopla Sydney go on sale at 10am on October 22, with general sale following at 10am the next day.
Mighty Hoopla founder Glyn Fussell said he was thrilled to bring the festival to Australia, which he described as a second home.
“To finally bring the Hoopla magic to Sydney is a dream come true,” he said.
“Expect joy, chaos, and the campest day of your life. Our touchdown is a dream come true.”
It was confirmed on Wednesday that the party will be produced by Mighty Hoopla in partnership with Fuzzy.
Controversy over ownership
The collaboration and event have attracted criticism because both Mighty Hoopla and Fuzzy are owned by Superstruct, which in turn is owned by investment firm KKR.
KKR’s defence investments – including stakes in Novaria Group and Advanced Navigation, both of which have contracts with Israel, which is in a war with Gaza – have led to boycotts from both potential attendees and artists in the UK.
A United Nations independent international commission of inquiry, which does not speak on behalf of the UN, recently found that “genocide is occurring in Gaza and is continuing to occur”, according to its head, Navi Pillay.
In response to boycotts this year, Mighty Hoopla issued a statement addressing concerns over its parent company.
“We recognise that the world’s highest court, the International Court of Justice, ruled that Israel is plausibly committing genocide in Gaza and that it is practicing apartheid and occupation against the Palestinian people,” the festival said at the time.
“Whilst we cannot control agreements or investments made in our parent companies, we wish to state our clear opposition to KKR’s unethical investments.
“As a festival we will always use our platform to champion and fund other LGBTQ+ organisations, projects and charities as well as continuing to uplift brilliant queer artists across our shows. No owner or investor will ever change what Mighty Hoopla stands for and the community it serves.”
Fuzzy also states on its website that “any profits from Fuzzy-led events or festivals are reinvested in the music business”.
The right to host a Bondi Beach party during Mardi Gras was awarded to Fuzzy after Mardi Gras lost its licence for the event, which it had previously hosted in 2023 and 2024, during a competitive tender process.
Speculation about Kesha’s appearance had been mounting for months, fuelled by Waverley Council documents that listed “Mighty Hoopla” as the project name for the Bondi event and Fuzzy as the contractor.
Editor’s note: Journalist Eliot Hastie pays $50 annually for Mardi Gras membership to access discounts at retail stores and bars but does not use the membership’s voting rights.
Eliot Hastie is a senior news producer at Channel Ten, reporting on a range of general stories, specialising in foreign affairs and LGBTQ+ stories. He’s also a reporter for Gay Sydney News, where he covers LGBTQIA+ culture, politics and nightlife. He previously helped to build and launch ausbiz, Australia's only live streaming finance news channel, where he was also an executive producer and host. He has previously worked as a finance and business journalist for publications including Fintech Business, Real Estate Business and other Momentum Media titles. Eliot holds a journalism degree from the University of Westminster and brings experience in both broadcast and digital reporting. Contact Eliot: eliot.hastie@gaysydneynews.com.au
