Due to overwhelming demand, a 2nd show has been added on Sunday 23 November, when Ponsonby’s own Jubilation Choir takes to the stage at Hollywood Avondale with special guests Julia Deans, Bella Kalolo and Anika Moa, for a celebration of Aotearoa’s finest singers, soulful music, and spine-tingling harmonies.
A 3pm matinee with family friendly prices opens up this musical feast to all the whanau.
Expect joy. Expect goosebumps. Expect to leave singing.
For 25 years, Jubilation has brought together singers from all walks of life to share songs that speak to universal themes of struggle, salvation, and love - reinterpreting everyone from The Beatles to Prince to Blur to Nina Simone. It’s Kiwi gospel at its most joyous: a groovy mix of the divine and the profane, the sweet and the raucous, where Americana meets Aotearoa.
Into this soundscape step three wahine toa of New Zealand music. Julia Deans is a songwriter and performer with a voice that can stop a room whether fronting Fur Patrol or crafting the intimate, acclaimed solo work that has marked her out as one of our most compelling storytellers. Award-winning and unapologetically soulful, Shortland Street star Bella Kalolo brings gospel roots and R&B fire with a vibrant Polynesian spirit. And Anika Moa needs little introduction: from Dreams in My Head to her beloved children’s songs, she's a unique singer, songwriter, entertainer, and national treasure.
This special evening also includes these three voices taking their own songs, including Lydia, Mama’s Eyes, Dreams in My Head and more, and setting them alight inside Jubilation’s choral embrace. Add in a few classics from the Aotearoa songbook (including the indelible Bathe in the River), and you’ve got a big dose of happy harmonies designed to lift the Hollywood roof.
32 voices strong, the choir is a vibrant collective that blends long-time members with some of Aotearoa’s most celebrated performers, including Jennifer Ward-Lealand, Fiona Samuel and Jackie Clarke.
“When you give a song to a choir, it strips it right back to its bones, bringing a new intensity and creating a profound and moving experience for audiences. That’s why so many high profile artists are drawn to working with choirs, with the likes David Byrne, Chris Martin, Beyonce and even Elton John.” says Jackie Clarke.
Event Details
Jubilation at The Hollywood with Julia Deans, Bella Kalolo & Anika Moa
Hollywood Avondale, Auckland
Sunday 23 November 2025
Doors 2.30pm | Show 3pm
Tickets available here
