Grammy Award-winning R&B star Ashanti is heading back to Australia and New Zealand this November, with the singer set to bring her ‘Rock Wit U’ tour to Melbourne alongside stops in Perth, Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland.
The New York artist will perform at Margaret Court Arena on Wednesday 11 November as part of a five-date run celebrating one of the most influential catalogues of the early 2000s R&B era.
Ashanti’s return arrives during a major resurgence in popularity for millennium-era R&B, with streaming platforms, social media trends and nostalgic club programming helping introduce her music to a new generation of listeners. Hits including Foolish, Rock Wit U (Awww Baby), Only U and collaborations with Ja Rule and Fat Joe remain staples of throwback playlists more than two decades after their original release.
In a statement announcing the tour, Ashanti said Australian and New Zealand audiences had always played an important role throughout her career.
“Australia and New Zealand has always shown me so much love, and I’m so excited to be coming back this coming Fall for my ‘Rock Wit U’ tour,” she said. “The energy, the fans, the memories, it’s always so amazing. I can’t wait to Rock with you all. Australia and New Zealand get ready, we’re going to have a blast together.”
Ashanti first rose to international fame in 2002 after signing with Murder Inc. Records, quickly becoming one of the defining voices of the era. Her self-titled debut album entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1 and later earned triple platinum certification in the United States, while Follow-up album Chapter II delivered another global hit with Rock Wit U (Awww Baby).
Beyond music, Ashanti also built a successful acting career, appearing in films including Coach Carter and Resident Evil: Extinction, while continuing to maintain a strong international touring presence.
Pre-sales from 1pm local time Wednesday 3 June and gneral public sales from 1pm local time Thursday 4 June via Destroy All Lines.
