Celebrated Torres Strait Islander singer Christine Anu will headline the free NAIDOC in the City concert at Fed Square this Friday 10 July from 12pm, sharing the stage with her daughter, the R&B, soul and jazz artist ZIPPORAH, the City of Melbourne has announced.

The concert is a centrepiece of NAIDOC Week, held nationally from 5 to 12 July, whose 2026 theme is 50 Years of Deadly — described by organisers as "a reflection and a declaration, acknowledging the strength it has taken to reach this milestone not by chance, but because generations of people refused to be silenced."

For Anu, an ARIA-winning singer whose career spans three decades, performing alongside her daughter carries particular weight. "It's one of the greatest joys of my life," she said. "I look across at her and see a talented artist with her own voice, her own perspective and her own future ahead of her."

Anu said the event holds a long personal history. "I've performed at NAIDOC events every year since the beginning of my career, so in many ways I've grown up alongside it," she said.

ZIPPORAH — Zipporah Corser-Anu — grew up surrounded by music, with some of her earliest memories set in rehearsal rooms, venues and stages around the country. "Zipporah grew up surrounded by music, but I never expected or assumed she would become a performer," Anu said. "What I noticed was that the music kept finding its way to her. It was something she genuinely loved."

"It feels really special to share this moment with my mum," ZIPPORAH said. "She has been such an important influence in my life and my journey as an artist, so being able to stand alongside her on stage during NAIDOC Week is something I'm incredibly proud of. There will definitely be some nerves, but they're the kind that come with being part of something really meaningful and important. I'm looking forward to the energy of Fed Square and the crowd."

Beyond the concert, NAIDOC in the City features performances, cultural workshops, t-shirt giveaways and AFL activations, alongside the Koorie Heritage Trust NAIDOC Week market showcasing the wares of First Nations stallholders. The City of Melbourne is a sponsor and organiser of NAIDOC Week events across the city.

Fed Square is running a week-long NAIDOC program from 5 to 12 July, including films by First Nations filmmakers, a cross-gallery tour exploring First Nations art, and the KHT market — part of an annual national celebration recognising the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Reflecting on the theme's 50-year milestone, Anu said the change across her career has been profound. "When I first started out in the industry, there weren't many spaces where our stories were centred and celebrated in the way they are today," she said. "To see how far we've come over the past 50 years is worth recognising."