Nilüfer Yanya

Nilüfer Yanya and Little Guilt live at Perth Festival | 20 February 2026

On the tail end of February 2026, and the balmy summer evenings are beginning to mellow out. Perth Festival is very much still in full swing, with East Perth Power Station again open once more.

Set up for punters to catch their favourite touring bands to play into a cavernous, industrial space. Set with a backdrop of the Swan River as you meander your way through the venue and unto the stage. Tonight was British singer-songwriter and musician Nilüfer Yanya to grace the stage with local supports Little Guilt.

Arriving early to the venue allowed you to appreciate the sheer architectural space of the venue. As it complimented the bands who played perfectly. Punters slowly began to file in once Little Guilt begun to set up on stage. Who offered punters an enjoyable taster of the music that was yet to come.

Their sound carried well across the venue. Clean guitar tones and vocals came from Ella Melton which were backed and complimented by Lachlan Thomson who was on keys. A special shout out was given to bassist Jarrod Rumble by Melton. Sharing with the crowd that it was his first time providing backing vocals.

Their instrumentation (with the inclusion of Melton’s vocals) punched out ambience to the punters. Playing a host of new songs, and old songs (including a cover of Phantogram’s ‘When I’m Small’).

The band pulled off a set that lyrically touched upon emotional vulnerabilities, and wistful longing. Packaged alongside bright guitar tones, and hip swaying rhythms. The band gently swayed punters into an easy, kicked-back evening of good music. Brining energy to the venue early on.

Not long after, Nilüfer Yanya brought in a brooding, introspective set. With her support instrumentation including a soulful saxophone and keys. Yanya pulled punters into a soundscape of a low, rumbling and broody guitars which gave off an ominous mood to East Perth Power Station.

With her calm, vocals softly carrying lyrics of self-reflection, loss and connection. It was easy for punters to get lost into the soulful qualities of her live music. With a siren call-like quality to the ominous saxophone.

Yanya was smooth in her lyrical delivery, expertly weaving an emotional story that the punters could follow. A story that was carried by the underlying sounds, and grunge guitars.

Yanya finished off the night with double encore which included a cover of PJ Harvey’s ‘Rid of Me’ (which punters were stoked to hear) and ‘Midnight Sun’. Thanking the punters, and bowing to the crowd in front of her. Yanya finished off what turned out to be another solid night at Perth Festival.

  Review by Joe Wilson