Mighty Hoopla’s Queertopia acts celebrate “liberating” new stage

Mighty Hoopla, the UK’s ultimate pop extravaganza, is back for a seventh year with its most insane line-up of pop icons and queer trailblazers.

The event, which takes place annually in Brockwell Park, London, has previously featured industry legends such as Anastasia, Kelly Rowland, Natasha Bedingfield, Kelis, Sugababes and Sister Sledge.

The line-up for this year’s pop spectacle is – once again – major, with performances from Jessie Ware, En Vogue, Slayyyter, Rita Ora, Eve, Rebecca Black, Alison Goldfrapp, Jojo Siwa, Rachel Stevens, Bambie Thug, The Veronicas, Bananarama, Cher Lloyd and B*witched. (Think about all of those pop bangers for a second.)

That’s not all: Nelly Furtado, the Canadian Prime Minister of Pop, will also make her long-awaited return to the UK, where she is expected to perform classics such as ‘Maneater’, ‘Promiscuous’, ‘I’m Like a Bird’ and ‘Say It Right’, as well as comeback anthems ‘Eat Your Man’ and ‘Love Bites’.

One exciting new addition to Mighty Hoopla this year is ‘Queertopia’, a specially crafted stage that will showcase the most promising up-and-coming queer talent in the music industry, from Grammy winner Kamille to alt-pop star Lynks and multi-instrumentalist Geo Jordan. More incredible star power incoming: Walt Disco, Nakhane, Karnage Kills, Bright Light Bright Light and Toya Delazy.

Glyn Fussell, one of the masterminds behind Mighty Hoopla, tells GAY TIMES that Queertopia come to fruition as a result of the industry’s current “queer revolution”: “We wanted to create an area where we showcase that. A lot of these artists are independent and have the most unique stories to tell. We are just helping with that. I mean, the talent on that stage is off the chart.”

This year marks the Hoopla debut for Glaswegian band Walt Disco. The quintet, who GAY TIMES previously spotlighted as an Elevate artist, are “honoured” to be inaugurating the Queertopia stage. “It’s vital that new LGBTQIA+ acts get a platform to be themselves and connect with like-minded fans,” they say.

Promising a “fun, high energy, camp and dramatic” set, Bright Light Bright Light echoes the sentiments of Walt Disco on emerging LGBTQIA+ talent. The singer, who’s enjoying independent chart success with his new album Enjoy Youth, says: “It’s so hard for newer or less commercially successful artists to play festivals. This is such a great stage idea. I’m very proud to be part of it.”

Toya Delazy, the self-described “Mother of Afrowave” bringing the queer sounds of Indigenous Africa to Western culture, is on a mission to represent her community at Hoopla. “For Africa, who still suffers tremendously from the laws Britain transferred to commonwealth countries, like the Buggery Act, it’s imperative to know we matter and for my people to see that on a bigger scale,” she shares.

Photography: Luke Dyson

Playing the Queertopia stage is a “stamp of approval” from her community, she adds, and her performance will send an “extremely liberating and beautiful message” to queer people in Africa that there’s a future in “following your heart”.

“To be received with warm hands by Mighty Hoopla and the access to this global platform pushes my culture forward,” Delazy explains, “and validates many talented souls who are overcast and judged on their identity instead of their talent.”

While this year marks the first appearance for several acts at Hoopla, it also marks Geo Jordan’s first-ever festival performance as a solo artist. He praises the variety of acts set to perform, as well as festival organisers like Fussell for creating opportunities such as the Queertopia stage for rising queer talent.

“There is such a broad, wonderful spectrum of talent to be seen and heard from the community, so it’s lovely to have been chosen amongst some of the other amazing artists to join the line-up,” he tells GAY TIMES, before passionately adding: “More of this, please!”

Jordan expects his soulful, groovy and sensual roster of songs to elicit a variety of emotions in the crowd, warning Hoopla-goers to “bring your dancing shoes and maybe a couple of tissues incase you need to shed a few tears of dance-cry related joy”.

Grime rapper Karnage Kills highlights how events such as Hoopla are an opportunity for the LGBTQIA+ community to come together and “celebrate our queerness”. “It’s only fitting that rising LGBTQIA+ talent be brought into the mix!” he says, before revealing that he will debut his “new look” at the festival.

“I’ve changed, evolved, blossomed,” reveals Kills. “I want to get back to doing music for the love. I’m happy, healthy and living in my bubble again. So, when you see me, just know that I’m still the same Carnage. I’ve just grown!”

Photography: Luke Dyson

As well as Queertopia, this year’s extravaganza will see the return of beloved stages such as ‘The Bump’, which spotlights the world’s best DJs and live performers, and ‘Pleasure Palace’, which welcomes cabaret and drag performers across diverse queer nightlife.

Fussell, who co-created Mighty Hoopla with Jamie Tagg, Sean Rowley and Ally Wolf, notes how the event “gets bigger every year, and now people come from all around the world for it”.

“It’s become a cultural touch point for our community,” he says. “Our community wants spaces that they can live to their fullest and feel safe and we provide that all wrapped in a perfect pop bow.” 

On the impact Mighty Hoopla has had on the LGBTQIA+ community, Fussell adds: “Bringing together the community and seeing the joy it evokes in people is the biggest gift to us ever.

“The world feels pretty scary and hostile at the moment and giving space for that, even if it’s just for a weekend, it’s unbelievable. People meet partners here, they dance together, they sing at the top of their lungs, they laugh and they create memories.” 

Mighty Hoopla 2024 takes place 1 and 2 June at Brockwell Park, London. The last remaining tickets for Sunday available to purchase here.

Check out the full line-up below!

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