The outpouring of love for Velvet Crystal Sky Pesu after she became the first woman lost to violence in Australia in 2026 has been overwhelming.
She was a performer, an artist, a mother, sister, daughter, a carer, a woman with a huge heart and a rich voice, full of laughter and humility, and she should still be here today. She has left behind two daughters, and a huge community who has a hole in their lives.
Velvet's sister has set up a GoFundMe to raise money for her daughters Tauya and Nyasha, and we want to come together as a community and raise some money with the help of any local performers who want to celebrate this incredible woman.
If you would like to get involved, alongside performers Katrina Lee and Rhan Hooper, please reach out by email to
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You can donate here -
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-velvets-daughters - buy a ticket at our website, or donate on the night.
A note from Al:
While I wasn't personally close to Velvet, her music has been important to me for more than half of my life. I first saw her perform at an afternoon "Women in Voice" session at the Chai Tent at the Woodford Folk Festival in the mid-2000s, and was chasing the source of her incredible voice ever since then. I caught her performing in various places around the state, and eventually met her through the incredible West End music scene. She was so patient and sweet about my starry-eyed fandom. She was a lovely, irreplacable human being.
You may also like the following events from Banshees Bar & Artspace:
- This Friday, 30th January, 09:00 am, Folk'N'Shanty Night with Those Folk & The Salty Sirens in Ipswich
- This Saturday, 31st January, 09:00 am, Hippo, Mother Magnetic, Fidel a Go Go in Ipswich
- Next Saturday, 7th February, 04:00 am, Tomohung + HISS + KillPill in Ipswich
Also check out other
Entertainment events in Ipswich,
Performances in Ipswich,
Nonprofit events in Ipswich.
