Sell-out shows, cult status line-up: How Dark Mofo catapults artists

For rapper and songwriter Miss Kaninna, performing on the Dark Mofo stage in Hobart represents a powerful connection with fans in her home state of Tasmania. The First Nations artist, who grew up on Bruny Island south of Hobart, premiered her first single 'Blak Britney' at the festival in 2022.

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Dark Mofo and MONA in general have been so supportive, probably one of the biggest supporters of my career. I haven't had my own headline sold-out show here before. The fact that I'm from here and I've come back after three years of creating my career and it's sold out is so wild to me. I never thought I'd have that kind of support in Tassie.

"Dark Mofo and MONA in general have been so supportive, probably one of the biggest supporters of my career," Miss Kaninna stated. "I haven't had my own headline sold-out show here before. The fact that I'm from here and I've come back after three years of creating my career and it's sold out is so wild to me. I never thought I'd have that kind of support in Tassie."

Tickets for Miss Kaninna's Dark Mofo performance sold out in just over an hour, making it the fastest sell-out of the festival's lineup. This achievement follows her recognition as the 2023 triple j Unearthed Artist of The Year, international performances, and her nomination as the first Indigenous woman for an ARIA Award for a debut single. She noted the rapid sell-out with surprise, anticipating that locals who often get tickets last minute might be disappointed.

“

oh that's actually hectic because I know that the Tassie mob and a lot of fellas down here, we don't get tickets 'til the day before, so they're going to be pissed

Miss Kaninna's debut mixtape, 'Blackprint,' is set for release coinciding with her Dark Mofo performance. She described the album as an act of "reclaiming of space and the reclaiming of our 'blakness' and not allowing the white lens to water down our culture or water down our anger as well."

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The album is supposed to be the reclaiming of space and the reclaiming of our 'blakness' and not allowing the white lens to water down our culture or water down our anger as well

Her support act for the Dark Mofo show is Hobart-based experimental J-pop project エミエミ (emi emi), fronted by Emi Doi. Miss Kaninna expressed admiration for Doi, noting her authenticity and the challenges of establishing Japanese pop music in Australia, particularly in Tasmania. "It had to be her or no one else," Miss Kaninna said, emphasizing her desire to support a female artist driving cultural change. Doi, in turn, praised Miss Kaninna's unwavering commitment and advocacy.

“

What surprised me so much about Emi was that she's just 100 per cent herself. Having Japanese pop in this country, let alone in Tassie, would just be so f***ing difficult