Lil’ Kim marked her triumphant return to Australia with headline performances at Melbourne’s Rising Music Festival and Sydney’s Vivid Music Festival in 2026.
Lil’ Kim has headlined two of Australia’s biggest music festivals this year, proving that more than three decades into her career, the pioneering rapper is still in demand.
The 51-year-old will perform at Carriageworks for Vivid in Sydney and Festival Hall for Rising in Melbourne, her first Australian performance in fifteen years.
Both festivals announced their 2026 lineups on Wednesday, with the Brooklyn legend celebrating her landmark albums Hard Core and The Notorious KIM. Hard Core turns 30 this year, a milestone that highlights her lasting impact on generations of female rappers who have followed her path.
Rising’s artistic director Hannah Fox praised Kim’s impact on the hip-hop world.
“‘Hardcore’ and ‘Notorious Kim’ really blazed a trail — there are now a lot of female rappers and songstresses that are completely following in her footsteps and following her panicky, sex-positive vibe,” Fox said.
She continued, “In the ’90s, no one called her a feminist icon. I don’t know if we would ever have [tracks like WAP] Without her. She was truly a trailblazer. “
These performances were an important moment for Kim, who became a teenage mafioso under the tutelage of a notorious gangster.
She launched her solo career in 1996 with Hard Core, an album that fundamentally reshaped the way women functioned in hip-hop.
The record’s success established her as a force who refused to play by industry rules, instead forging her own path with confidence and artistry.
The Guardian reports the Australian dates are part of a wider recognition of her lasting influence in music.
Festival organizers specifically chose her for the title because her work continues to resonate with audiences around the world, proving that true art transcends time and geography.
The Rising Music Festival will be held from May 27 to June 8, and the Vivid Sydney Light and Music Festival will be held at the same time, providing Australian audiences with a rare opportunity to witness Queen Bee’s live performance.
