Rodney Stevens
Pop superstar Jessica Mauboy will headline Groove on the Grass at Grafton’s Market Square in January in a free concert set to kick off 2023 with a bang.
The Voice Australia judge and proud Kuku Yalanji and Walkamin woman will be joined by Dami Im and Jem Cassar Daley, the daughter of the Clarence Valley’s favourite son, Troy.
The free, all ages, all-inclusive event on Bundjalung country on January 28 is funded by the NSW Government’s Reconnecting Regional NSW Community Events Grant Program.
But tickets are limited, so get in fast!
Born and raised in Darwin, Jessica Mauboy’s star began to grow when she won the Telstra Road to Tamworth competition in 2004, aged 14, at the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
In 2006, Jessica finished runner up in the fourth season of Australian Idol and she went on to sign a recording contract with Sony Music Australia.
Now 33, Jessica has released four studio albums, nine top ten hits, won two ARIA awards from 25 nominations.
Her hit singles that featured in the top 10 include Running Back featuring Flo Rida, Burn, Pop a Bottle (Fill Me Up), Can I Get a Moment and This Ain’t Love.
Jessica had the honour of representing Australia at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest and she has been a judge on The Voice Australia since 2021.
Following in her father’s musical footsteps, Jem Cassar-Daley returns to the Clarence Valley, a special place for her family, to perform live.
The proud Gumbaynggirr Bundjalung woman is an emerging indie pop singer and songwriter who released her debut single ‘Letting go’ in July 2021.
At the National Indigenous Music Awards in 2022, Jem was awarded New Talent of the Year and she won the 2022 Queensland Music Awards Indigenous Award for ‘Letting go’.
Jem’s debut seven track EP I Don’t Know Who To Call was released in May this year, followed by a mini-documentary in September explaining the origin of the EP’s tracks.
South Korean born Australian singer Dami Im shot to fame when she won the fifth season of the X Factor Australia in 2013 and a subsequent recording contract with Sony Music Australia.
After winning X Factor, Dami’s was the first contestant to follow up her number one single ‘Alive’ with a number one album, the self titled Dami Im.
In 2016, Dami represented Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest, placing second amongst tough competition from around the world for her powerful rendition of Sound of Silence.
Since then, Dami’s notable performances include at the 2016 Melbourne Cup, 2017 Australia Day Concert and the 2018 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony.
Dami has gone on to release five albums, Heart Beats, Classic Carpenters, I Hear a Song, Live Sessions EP and My Reality, since her first self-titled release in 2013.
The entrance gates for Groove on the Grass will be located at the bus shelter on Prince Street and will open at 5pm, with the performances starting at 6.30pm.
At the time of going to print it was understood all tickets have sold out.