Sudan Archives closes out Perth Festival in a high-octane tour-de-force performance
On the final night of Perth Festival’s 2026 season of live music, showcased at the renovated yet still archaic East Perth Power Station, there was a buzz in the air. Maybe it was the change in the weather as the winds began to pick up and chill with that end of summer feeling; maybe it was the finale of the festival itself as we headed out for one last dance beside the moonlit Derbal Yerrigan before returning to real life or maybe it was the anticipation of seeing an immensely ambitious artist, for her first ever performance in Perth, the genre-bending violinist, vocalist and producer Sudan Archives.
Opening up the mainstage before Ms Archives, was award-winning Walmatjarri and Bunuba artist Kayps; an energetic rapper and melodic hip hop creative. It was clear from this performance, he was a worthy companion for what we were about to see as Kayps and his producer fused together indie guitar hooks, house beats, and powerful lyrical messages, delivered with conviction. Kayps proved his rapping prowess could gel with anything, as he rapped over elevator music before switching things up and blending hip hop with dance styles, performing home truths about community and life as a First Nations Artist. The ever-growing crowd resonated with Kayps, cheering, dancing and waving arms in the air as he performed. For those lucky enough to get down early, we were treated to upcoming songs from his soon-to-be released debut album.
Later in the night, a hush fell over the crowd as the industrial outdoor stage descended into darkness before Sudan Archives began. At this point, the open space in the power station was packed and the buzz had intensified. From the moment she arrived on stage, she commanded it with her presence, stomping with robotic movements towards a raised platform, dressed in a neon green and blue body suit: part alien, part praying mantis, equipped with glowing contact lenses, and a quiver full of violin bows on her back, ready to take her into battle. The comparison drawn between bows for archery and bows for violin is a worthy one, as she played her primary instrument with the same precision and vigor, as a weapon, with frayed strings visible from her bow after the opening song DEAD filled the open space with high-speed, sliding orchestral arrangements amongst a backdrop of furious EDM.
And here lies the genius of Sudan Archives, and the lane she’s paved all on her own. Her undeniable talent as a violinist is not something she rests upon, throughout her entire performance and discography, she makes bold, creative choices, traversing the edges of genre, blending elements of Neo-Soul, Baroque hyper-pop, traditional Sudanese Folk music (where her namesake was born), and hip house stylings just to name a few. These were highlights of her live show, leaving us in the audience continually expecting the unexpected, as she would shift seamlessly between deep, sweaty club beats, and Irish fiddle solos, sometimes in the same song, such as in the brooding SHE’S GOT PAIN, all while gliding between rap, melodic vocals, and maniacal laughter on a headset microphone. Ambitious doesn’t feel like a strong enough word as the risks genuinely pay off for Sudan Archives as the audience would gasp, sway and jump with every change in this dynamic, evolving 90-minute set.
On top of her dexterous production built into her show, the live performance elements were captivating through Sudan’s strong artistry. Her physical embodiment matched the spirit of such energetic music throughout the set, as Sudan spent the majority of her time dancing, running across the large stage, playing live drum pads, and brandishing her violin bow like a sword. She even climbed the scaffolding of the venue, as no challenge was too great for the energy she radiated. As the only figure on stage, she looked completely at home, dominating the space with her unique movement, matching the light and darkness in every song.
One particular highlight was when she invited a young fan on stage to perform A BUG’S LIFE together. The audience cheered on the brave fan who sang along and danced on the raised platform, clearly sharing a passion for Sudan’s cheeky lyricism as she twerked and leaned into the singer’s space on particularly lines, filling the crowd with infectious joy. Sudan joined the audience several times, clearly feeling safe amongst the Perth concert goers. She divided the crowd into two, and invited the audience to join her dancing down the aisle to her songs as she shouted “Who’s next?” after reaching the fans at the back of the crowd. The large crowd demanded an encore and were gifted with a rollicking rendition of her breakout hit Selfish Soul, and closed with the very fitting title track of her new album, THE BPM.
Walking away, I could hardly believe what I’d seen: a hip hop violinist, with World music running through each beat of heart and songs, dancing freely with strangers under the night sky. I can only sum up this show in Sudan’s words: “The BPM is the power” and on this night it had the power to unite us all.
