Mahalia Barnes has been in and around music her entire life. A powerhouse soul and blues vocalist and the daughter of Jimmy & Jane Barnes, Mahalia was destined for the stage. She’s toured alongside legends like Bruce Springsteen and Bryan Adams, among many others, and now Mahalia is stepping out of her comfort zone to take on an iconic role in Jesus Christ Superstar.

In this episode Mahalia delves into her journey as a musician, opening up about personal struggles, family dynamics, and the profound impact of music on her life. She reflects on how addiction has shaped her family’s story, the resilience born from those challenges, and the deep bond of love that holds them together. Among the many loves in her life, this heartfelt conversation highlights the unique and evolving connection she shares with her father, marking a new chapter in their relationship.

A quick Content warning: This episode is created for adult audiences only, and contains references to drug use.

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LINKS:

• Stay up to date with Mahalia here and check out where you can catch her performing in Jesus Christ Superstar here
• If you loved this chat with Mahalia we think you'll love Jess's conversation with Kate Ceberano here
• If you love what we do, why not follow the show, and rate and review on Apple or Spotify

CREDITS:
Host: Jessica Rowe
Guest: Mahalia Barnes
Executive Producer: Nic McClure
Audio Producer: Nat Marshall
Digital Content Producer: Zoe Panaretos

The Jess Rowe Big Talk Show acknowledges the Gadigal people, Traditional Custodians of the land on which we recorded this podcast, and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders peoples here today.

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