WOMADelaide today announced the first 18 groups for its 2018 festival, to be held from 9-12 March in Adelaide’s Botanic Park, and it includes the ‘queen of the sitar’, Anoushka Shankar, the Australian premiere of Havana Meets Kingston featuring legendary reggae duo Sly & Robbie; fiery guitarists Rodrigo y Gabriela and saxophonist Kamasi Washington.

Also announced are the scorching desert blues guitarists from Mali, Tinariwen who last performed at the festival in 2008; Australia’s electronic music superstars, The Avalanches; veteran Ghanaian singer, Pat Thomas and UK dub producer Adrian Sherwood, all of whom have had an enormous influence over the past two decades on the ever-changing face of music from around the world.

The 18 artists announced today are:

• Adrian Sherwood – UK
• Anoushka Shankar – India/UK
• Architects of Air “Arboria” – UK
• The Avalanches – Australia
• Bixiga 70 – Brazil
• Chico Trujillo – Chile
• Dan Sultan – Australia
• Daymé Arocena – Cuba
• Havana Meets Kingston – Cuba/Jamaica
• Kamasi Washington – USA
• Le Vent du Nord – Canada
• Noura Mint Seymali – Mauritania
• Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area Band – Ghana
• Rahim Alhaj Trio – Iraq
• Rodrigo y Gabriela – Mexico
• Tinariwen – Mali
• Violons Barbares – France/Mongolia/Bulgaria
• Yirrmal & the Miliyawutj Band – Australia

The full WOMADelaide 2018 line-up, including around 45 more international and Australian groups, DJs and site artists, The Planet Talks program and much more will be released in November and December.

WOMADelaide, 9-12 March 2018, Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia.

For information and tickets visit www.womadelaide.com.au