AFL fans have praised Australian singer Christine Anu and her daughter Zipporah’s heartfelt rendition of Island Home at the AFL Grand Final on Saturday.
Christine, 54, and her daughter Zipporah, 22, wowed 100,000 fans at the MCG when they performed a breathtaking rendition of the singer’s 1995 ode to life in Australia.
The Cairns-born singer and her daughter, who she shares with Aussie actor Rodger Corser, exuded confidence and style as they belted out the hit to a stunned crowd.
Christine and her mini-me Zipporah had the crowd in palm of their hand as they passionately sang the iconic song, with roaring fans singing along during the chorus.
Gobsmacked viewers quickly took to social media to praise the incredible performance – with many claiming Zipporah was even better than her famous mother.
Many also questioned why the talented duo were not the headlining act rather than Katy Perry as they criticised AFL bosses for not using a local main performer.
‘Daughter sings better than Christine Anu now,’ one viewer gushed and a second person added: ‘Oh wow…Christine Anu & her daughter…how incredibly beautiful.’
‘Why do we need Katy Perry when you have Christine Anu and Zipporah and her family singing Island Home?’ a third person asked.
AFL fans have praised Australian singer Christine Anu and her daughter Zipporah’s heartfelt rendition of Island Home at the AFL Grand Final on Saturday
‘It’s wild that we have so much cultural cringe about the #AFLGF that we feel the need to bring out a star from overseas. Like the Logies used to be.’
Their performance came just moments before Katy Perry, 39, took to the stage for the main pregame headlining entertainment slot.
She stunned fans almost immediately as she kicked off her 20-minute set – for which she was reportedly paid $5million – with her smash hit Roar, despite it being widely theorised she wouldn’t play the hit.
There had been feverish speculation that the track had been blacklisted because it would show supposed bias to the Lions, with Perry herself even admitting she had been warned against singing it.
However, despite the rampant theories, Perry threw caution to wind by performing the song some fans consider the unofficial anthem of the underdogs.
She then caused further surprise with her setlist by not singing Hot n Cold, despite it famously being the theme tune to MasterChef Australia and jokingly regarded by many as Aussie’s true ‘national anthem’.
She performed her hits Teenage Dreams, Firework and California Gurls and sang I Kissed A Girl with Tina Arena, but notably missed out Hot n Cold, even though it was widely expected to feature.
Though fans praised her vocal talents, many viewers were also left completely baffled by one unusual detail during the performance, which they claimed had no place at an AFL Grand Final.
Christine (pictured), 54, and her daughter Zipporah, 22, wowed 100,000 fans at the MCG when they performed a breathtaking rendition of the singer’s 1995 ode to life in Australia
Impressed fans questioned why the talented duo were not the headlining act rather than Katy Perry as they criticised AFL bosses for not using a local main performer
Viewers quickly took to social media to praise the incredible performance – and question why the talented duo were not the headlining act
Viewers at home took to social media to mercilessly mock her choice to accompany her real-life performance and dance moves with an array of ‘bizarre’ CGI effects.
Fans watched as huge futuristic effects appeared above the grounds of the stadium, including bizarre gold love hearts and a galaxy-style black hole, with many poking fun at the early-2000s video-game look of the CGI.
Taking to X – formerly known as Twitter – one quipped: ‘AFL preshow brought to you by Fortnite with all this CGI.’
Another said: ‘What the f**k was @channel7 thinking with those $5 CGI effects,’ while a third wrote: ‘Petition to not allow CGI during the #AFLGF practical effects only.’
A fourth tweeted: ‘Wtf is the CGI about? This is awful,’ and a fifth joked: ‘I hope the crowd at the MCG are enjoying the CGI.’
‘How much AFL pay for this?’ another added.
However, other fans were quick to jump to Perry’s defence as they praised her vocal talents and upbeat performance despite the amusing CGI gaffe.
One wrote: ‘If you’re saying Katy Perry was s**t you’re 100% a pick me and I have no time for you.’
‘I know Katy Perry is cringe but that performance was surprisingly good,’ another shared, while a third added: ‘Katy Perry killed it.’
Their performance came just moments before Katy Perry, 39, took to the stage for the main pregame headlining entertainment slot
Kicking off the show, Perry made quite the bold entrance into the arena as she rode in on top of a futuristic silver vehicle and made her way to the stage while belting out the lyrics to Roar
A fourth said: ‘All set for the #AFLGF All entertainment done and now for the battle. But @katyperry was good.’
A fifth commented: ‘Personally. I loved @katyperry at the #AFLGF!! She was a lot of fun!’
Before she even took to the stage, local Australian musicians were left furious to discover the American pop star was being paid millions for her AFL Grand Final gig.
As the live music scene Down Under buckles beneath the cost of living, the hitmaker reportedly made $5million for her 20-minute set.
One Melbourne artist took to Facebook on Thursday to slam the AFL for dropping millions on international talent while local musicians struggle to get gigs.
‘Just heard on the radio Katy Perry is getting 5 million for 5 songs at tomorrow AFL GF,’ the local singer wrote in a post he shared with his followers.
It comes after local Australian musicians were left furious to discover American pop star Katy Perry (pictured) was reportedly being paid millions for the AFL Grand Final
‘Surely with the state of the music industry in this country that money could have been better spent.
Followers flocked to the musician’s comments to agree, with some saying hiring the international pop star for the AFL Grand Final was ‘not great value for money’.
The US pop star is being paid the huge amount to sing five songs to a roaring crowd of 100,000 at the MCG before Sydney take on Brisbane, reported the Herald Sun.
The huge sum is said to come with some strings attached — that she performs a selection of older well-known hits, rather than songs from her new 143 LP.
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