Rockingham Fringe 2026: Perth jazz singer Etta D’Elia pays tribute to her favourite matriarch in new show

They say “mother knows best” but everyone knows that Nonna knows better. Italian jazz vocalist Etta D’Elia will debut her new show NonnaMia! at Fringe World 2026 in a performance that pays tribute to everyone’s favourite matriarch, the Nonna. D’Elia and her jazz quintet play songs nonna loves to sing while exploring the cultural peculiarities and inter-generational experiences of Italo-Australians, from their early arrivals to the modern contrasts of contemporary life. NonnaMia! will play across three locations throughout the annual arts festival, including Busselton’s Shelter Brewing Company, the State Theatre Centre of WA and Encore Rockingham. “I’m delighted to be returning to Fringe World Perth with a brand-new show and have a chance to perform to audiences out in Busselton and Rockingham,” D’Elia said. “Nonnas hold a very special place in all Italians’ hearts. They are the matriarchs and the backbones of our families. “They can at times be very particular and even peculiar with their superstitions and their rituals, but they love fiercely and are the ones who nurtured many of us, fed us well and entertained us with stories of their childhood and songs from their youth. “My beloved Nonna Etta meant the world to me. I even took my stage name from her. This show is my tribute to her.” D’Elia said she’s looking forward to performing her own spin on beloved Italian classics like Bella Ciao, Marina and the unofficial Italian national anthem in Australia: C’é La Luna. “I truly hope this show brings generations together just like Nonna would bring people together around her table.” Joining D’Elia on the final leg of her Fringe World Perth tour at the State Theatre Centre of WA is social media’s most famous Italian grandmother, Nonna Maria Pappagallo, played by acclaimed comedian James Liotta. “It’s going to be great to have another performer and comedian to bounce off of, and like all nonnas we’ve got some secret ingredients up our sleeves for the final two nights,” she said.