From mid-to-late October, four major Australian cities will bear witness to one of the only noughties-baiting lineups of the year with RnB Fridayz Live.
The festival has been around for years, but this is one of their most varied line-ups to date, with Pitbull and Mariah Carey headlining the whole thing, alongside Lil’ Jon, Wiz Khalifa, Eve, Tinnie Tempah and Jordan Sparks.
The single-stage music festival is one of the few chances for fans of pop-rap and pop-R&B (stylised as RnB – or sometimes, RnB’z) to really let loose in the second half of the year.
This year is going to be a bit different, at least for Sydney. Given that Pitbull is pretty much a meme, and has long been associated with excessive partying and cheesy catchphrases, an entire venue in the Harbour City has been transformed in complete homage to the larger-than-life Dade County rapper.
Wait, there’s a Pitbull-themed hotel in Sydney?
Yeah, kind of.
Mr. Worldwide’s meme-like pull has always been strange to me. Pitbull came out swinging with Lil’ Jon back in 2004 when “Culo” struck like wildfire, putting the Miami hip hop scene back on the map after years of muddied waters. And while his stratospheric success has always been a bit of a surprise to me, the endearing party rapper has remained an irresistible sensation, even when he isn’t putting out anything of note.
The now well-established music festival has banked heavily on nostalgia, but having his name pitched next to one of the greatest singers of all time (Mariah, not Lil’ Jon) felt awkward at first.
But it makes sense. Pitbull has built up such a larger-than-life character with his catchphrases and shlocky party music that there’s zero doubt we’ll be seeing some infectiously energetic sets as the festival tours Brisbane, Sydney, Perth and Melbourne later this month.
It makes so much sense that Sydney’s The Downing Hotel has given itself over to a venue takeover, which includes one of its rooms as a complete ode to Mr. Worldwide. And of course, it’s called Room 305.
Party-minded brand Fireball Whisky is the brains behind the transformation, which is officially dubbed the Motel Fireball Inn. It’s not only a unique place to party, but anyone booking into the month-long pop-up hotel from October 1 to October 31 is in for one of the weirdest, most over-the-top experiences of their life.
The venue has been decked out in a very self-aware, excessive costume branded entirely towards Fireball Whisky. If you’re wondering what the connection is, Pitbull has a song called “Fireball”. But the label is also well-known for staging some wild antics like this in the past.
The immersive hotel room is the main act, featuring everything from a love hotel-style round bed with Fireball’s logo plastered all over it to a whisky bubbler. That should be more than enough to keep the party going, especially with cinnamon-scented toiletries and personalised slippers.
RnB Fridayz Live brings the nostalgia
Although Mariah Carey’s career vastly predates the noughties, that’s the period that RnB Fridayz Live is clearly going for in 2025. The festival, which has been around for a few years now, has consistently demonstrated an impressive ability to assemble nostalgic lineups for the type of people who would shout “that’s my songgggg” whenever they’d hear Ja Rule at Roxy Parramatta.
If this kind of lineup is your bag, take note of the dates below.
Friday 17th October – Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane
Saturday 18th October – Engie Stadium, Sydney
Friday 24th October – Langley Park, Perth
Saturday 25th October – Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
Tickets are still available for all dates, except Brisbane, and can be booked here.
