Aussie pop duo The Veronicas will perform their hit “Untouched” at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade, during Sydney WorldPride.
Sisters Lisa and Jessica Origliasso will perform Feb. 25 aboard the American Express float with support from 80 members of the American Express Pride+ Colleague Network.
Also, the Brisbane-born identical twins are named as official ambassadors of American Express’ With You & Proud, a community reach-out to LGBTQIA+ champions from around the country.
“The Sydney Mardi Gras parade has been such a massive part of our upbringing,” The Veronicas say in a statement issued Wednesday (Feb. 15). “Having grown up deeply connected and involved with the LGBTQIA+ community from a young age and creating safe space for all at our shows for 18 years, representing Australia for WorldPride and being part of this incredible initiative will be an absolute personal and career highlight.”
Adds Lisa, “For Jessie, as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, and for both of us as passionate allies…we can’t wait to celebrate this incredible community and share our personal stories of pride together.”
“Untouched” (via EngineRoom/Sire) was a global hit for The Veronicas, sailing to a top 20 peak on the Billboard Hot 100 following its release in 2007.
All five Veronicas studio albums have impacted the ARIA top 10, and a string of singles have led the Australian chart, including 2007’s “Hook Me Up,” 2014’s “You Ruin Me,” and 2016’s “In My Blood.” Combined streams from across their 17-year career are north of 900 million, say reps.
The group recently signed with Big Noise, a specialist in alt-pop and rock, with a roster including the Used, the Wrecks, Escape the Fate, and Goldfinger, whose singer and guitarist John Feldmann is the label’s co-founder and A&R.
Australia’s most populous city should be steaming when Sydney WorldPride 2023 rolls out Feb. 17 – March 5, 2023 – peak summer in the these parts and the traditional timeslot of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
The colorful celebration promises to transcend pop culture. Prime minister Anthony Albanese will become the first sitting leader of Australia to participated in the march, and he’ll be joined by foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, the first openly-gay woman in parliament.
Sydney WorldPride will mark the first time the event will be staged in the southern hemisphere, and, this year, coincides with the 50th anniversary of the first Australian Gay Pride Week, the 45th anniversary of the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, and the fifth anniversary of Marriage Equality in Australia.
Performers at Sydney WorldPride include Melbourne-born, L.A.-based multi-talented artist G Flip, homegrown pop stars Kylie Minogue and Jessica Mauboy, British producer and artist Charli XCX, and Kim Petras, who will headline the closing concert, Rainbow Republic.