GIRLBAND! and Jason Kwan will be performing this October
BY ELIZABETH HOPWOOD, IMAGE BY RACHAEL HALABURDA
The Iris Prize LGBTQ+ Film Festival, a vibrant celebration of global LGBTQIA stories and Cardiff’s unique charm, has announced two emerging queer acts in this year’s lineup. GIRLBAND! and Jason Kwan will now be performing at the Iris Gig this October.
But who are they?
An alternative trio, GIRLBAND! started in Nottingham. Georgie, Kay and Jada came together after making music individually and the band was born.
Jason Kwan is a powerful voice in the LGBTQIA and Asian communities. Originally from Hong Kong, he moved to the UK when he was 14 on a music scholarship. His music champions queer Asian experiences, placing underrepresented narratives at the forefront of his work.
Francis Brown, Volunteer and Music Coordinator for the festival said: “After last year’s show-stopping performance by VOYA I thought it was always going to be hard to follow that. However, when I saw GIRLBAND! live on stage earlier this year I thought their high-octane performance, raw energy and anthemic songs would be perfect for Iris! Their special guest Jason Kwan, a rising star who has an abundance of charisma, star quality and no shortage of good tunes!”
Berwyn Rowlands, Iris Prize Film Festival Director, added: “We are always excited to share new music with our film audiences. This year’s gig night has been moved to Friday night and we are starting later than usual to give the show a real night out feel. We have always championed artists from the LGBTQIA community and we are very excited to be presenting you with GIRLBAND! and Jason Kwan for this year’s Iris Gig.”
The annual Iris Gig will take place on 11 October at Iris HQ, Stadium Plaza.
Full details about the Iris Prize can be found here: www.irisprize.org
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