The singer has revealed a secret performance taking place over the weekend she was originally scheduled to lead the pre-game festivities for the NRL Grand Final. The arrangements fell apart before that could happen.
On Friday (Oct. 2), the singer, whose birth name is Toni Watson, will play an acoustic set for all ages at the Echuca Hotel in Victoria, paired with a meet-and-greet. Tickets open for purchase Wednesday (Sept. 30). The show runs parallel to her headlining appearance at the Deni Ute Muster festival in Deniliquin, New South Wales, taking place Oct. 2-3.
The Echuca Hotel Pop-Up
The surprise performance follows a breakdown in negotiations over Watson’s pre-show appearance on Oct. 4. At first, the National Rugby League said there would be no pre-game entertainment, pointing to “creative differences,” and planned to redirect the performance fee toward grassroots football instead.
The NRL Reverses Course
After Peter V’landys first declared the league would still divert the performance fee to junior rugby league, he later confirmed a surprise pre-game act will indeed take the field, though he refused to name who it involves.
“It’ll probably be the most high-rated 11 minutes you’ll ever see because no one knows what it is,” he said, adding that fans “won’t be shocked, but you’ll be very, very well entertained.”
A number of local performers have stepped forward to fill the spot, with Shannon Noll and Jon Stevens among those who have volunteered their services. The Grand Final pits the Sydney Roosters against the Newcastle Knights, and it is set for Sunday.
Tones and I Declines the Offer
According to a statement from Tones’ team at Lemon Tree Management, the singer was “recently approached to perform the preshow at the NRL Grand Final.” An offer was presented to Tones via management on Sept. 5.
“Tones had a prior commitment with Macklemore in America and explored all avenues to make it work,” the statement reads. “However, nothing was signed or confirmed in writing.”
“Due to the last minute nature,” the statement continues, “and prior commitments by Tones, we were unable to accept the offer. We wish the NRL nothing but the very best for their event.”
Dance Monkey’s Run
Watson became one of Australia’s biggest global success stories with “Dance Monkey.” Released in 2019, the track topped the charts in more than 30 countries and reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song spent a record 24 weeks at No. 1 on the ARIA Singles Chart in Australia and became one of the most-streamed songs of all time there. Watson was busking in Byron Bay shortly before the track’s release.
Among her many honours is a string of ARIA Awards, and she continues to rank among the nation’s most commercially successful contemporary artists.
The Surprise Act Lineup
The league has asked local artists to fill in for the show, while V’landys has guaranteed an unexpected performance. The audience will remain unaware of who is taking part until it happens.
The team led by Watson stated plainly that the offer was turned down due to existing obligations, and no agreement was put into writing.
The Weekend Schedule
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Sept. 30 | Tickets on sale for Echuca Hotel show |
| Oct. 2 | Tones and I plays Echuca Hotel |
| Oct. 2-3 | Headlines Deni Ute Muster festival |
| Oct. 4 | NRL Grand Final, with surprise pre-show act |
Watson headlines at the Deni Ute Muster slot, while the Echuca Hotel show remains a smaller, more intimate stop.
A Quiet Weekend in Victoria
This weekend is packed for Tones and I. She plays the Echuca Hotel on Friday, then heads straight into two days at Deni Ute Muster. The Grand Final wraps up the month, and the surprise act will take the field. Until then, Watson fans have a small gig and a festival to look forward to.
The league’s reversal means the NRL now has a surprise act lined up for Oct. 4. Watson’s team has moved on, with the singer performing at the Echuca Hotel on Friday and then heading to Deniliquin for the festival.
Source material: “Tones and I Announces Surprise Show After NRL Grand Final Fallout,” Billboard.
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