Marlon Williams

Bringing together country, bluegrass, folk and pop with his irresistibly charming voice, New Zealand singer-songwriter Marlon Williams performs music from his new Māori language album in his long-awaited return to the Sydney Opera House.

With a sound that traverses everything from bluegrass and country to folk, rock and synth-pop and traditional Māori rhythms, the multi-talented Aotearoa singer-songwriter Marlon Williams has proven to be one of New Zealand’s most distinctive musical exports of the past decade. Having last appeared at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt in 2019, Williams is returning for his first solo headline performance, showcasing his new record Te Whare Tīwekaweka for his Vivid LIVE debut. 

Born in Christchurch, Williams relocated to Melbourne following the recording of his 2015 self-titled solo debut, an album of slow-burning ballads, alt-country and bluegrass that landed in the top 10 and drew critical acclaim. His antipodean take on country and Southern gothic folk pop – topped with his unforgettably rich vocals – earned him comparisons to artists as varied as Gram Parsons, Roy Orbison and Nick Cave. Following his chart-topping follow-up Make Way for Love (2018) – and an appearance in the smash movie A Star Is Born, for which director Bradley Cooper personally selected him – Williams changed gears with 2022’s exuberant My Boy, dabbling in sunny synth pop and what he called the “Māori disco” of the title track.

This year, Williams returns with Te Whare Tīwekaweka, an album written and performed in Te Reo Māori that connects the musician with his Māori heritage. Drawing inspiration from a wide array of sources; from the great vocal showbands of mid-century New Zealand to Sardinian folk singing, Elvis Presley to Elliott Smith, expect a playful exploration of Māori musical forms both traditional and newly imagined, synthesised into Williams’ established signature sound.

Presented by Sydney Opera House