New Beginnings

New Beginnings – Telling A Story Through Spellbinding Synthpop

NEW BEGINNINGS at Midsumma 2026 by Madam Nightingale X Cloutie Will is a gripping musical performance including spoken word and interpretive dance, elegantly storytelling what it means to be human. Cloutie Will (emerging queer rap artist to watch(1) Sarah Dwyer [she/her]) expresses the full range of emotions as a "fallen woman" seeking a personal path to redemption. Madam Nightingale (award-nominated(2) queer lyricist/vocalist Phaedra Gunn [they/them]) sends the joy of art from the celestial world of the ether back unto the earth as Cloutie’s personal goddess of song. Cloutie Will and Madam Nightingale perform a transcendent contemporary rap and 80s influenced synthpop show that's not to be missed.

Presented as a music & interpretive dance performance, NEW BEGINNINGS show will include prize winning(3) 2023 debut single ‘Dance With Me’ & a selection of songs from Madam Nightingale & Cloutie Will’s collaborations with queer producers Flip That Groove [he/him] & Aj’Zho [he/him]. A not to be missed marvellously Midsumma-ish experience.

• (1) Winner Most Iconic Performance, Monash Uni 2024
• (2) Winner Sounds of St Kilda Battle of the Bands, St Kilda Fest 2020; Runner-up Artistic Merit Award, Newcastle Fringe 2023 & Nominee Best Show, Dubbo Fringe 2023
• (3) Winner#2 Top5 Songs of the Year, RSOM 2023 & charted on the Wettest 100 of 2023