Mahalia Barnes + The Soul Mates

The daughter of Australia's most successful vocalist Jimmy Barnes, Mahalia has been in and around music her entire life. Throughout her childhood years, she was exposed to everything from early Ray Charles to late Stevie Wonder, all of which helped shape her into the powerhouse soul and blues vocalist that has jaws dropping every time she picks up a mic.

Since the turn of the century, Mahalia Barnes & The Soul Mates have been performing in soul clubs and at concerts including supports for Mavis Staples, The Roots, Lionel Ritchie and James Morrison, appearances at Blues Fest and several Day On The Green shows, as well as many of their own headline shows.

"Being Jimmy Barnes' daughter is something that I always get asked about," says Mahalia. "But I've been out doing my own shows for years now and work really hard so that people know it's not a free ride." That hard work has manifested in albums produced by Silverchair, Journey, Iron Maiden and Led Zeppelin producer Kevin Shirley and collaborations with legendary blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa as well as local friends Jade MacRae, Phrase and Daniel Merriweather.