Music

“Equality For All”: Australia Is Loving Macklemore’s NRL Grand Final Performance

CC: Tony Abbott.

by Meg Watson  1 October 2017
Macklemore

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BREAKING: Macklemore just performed ‘Same Love’ during the pre-game entertainment for tonight’s NRL Grand Final and… everything was fine! In fact, it was really nice.

The performance was nice for a number of reasons. First off, it’s a sweet song that people like a lot and the featured singer, Mary Lambert, is an absolute legend. Secondly, though the US rapper played it pretty straight, he did slip a cheeky “equality for all” at the end of the song as rainbow-coloured smoke launched from the stage.

Finally — and this really is an important point — the performance signals what will hopefully be the end of one of Australia’s dumbest public debates in recent memory.

It’s done. It has happened. Let’s all sit back and enjoy it!


‘Same Love’ came 15 minutes into Macklemore’s set and was met with huge cheers from the crowd. Though there are some reports from grumbling in parts, the haters were well and truly outnumbered. As the song finished, the screens at ANZ Stadium also displayed a message from the NRL saying “We stand for equality”.

Praise is now pouring in from people at the game and watching all around Australia. The video has been on the NRL’s social media channels for 20 minutes and has already been shared thousands of times.

There’s a whole load of love in the Facebook comments section too with many saying they were moved to tears by the performance. One of the most popular comments reads: “Today’s Grand Final has already been won .. Macklemore is at number one and all proceeds to the yes team, all thanks to the noes!”

The rapper told Australian media yesterday he’d be donating all local proceeds for the song to the Yes campaign for marriage equality.

Not for nothing, but Macklemore also high-fived Johnathan Thurston as he made his way to the stage. Fingers crossed we get a Jack Riewoldt-style duet of ‘Same Love’ by the time the night is through.