In the candy-coloured world of The Wiggles, where bow ties and jazz hands reign supreme, 18-year-old Tsehay Hawkins is stirring up a mini-revolution. And it all starts with her pants.
As the first female Wiggle to don pants instead of a skirt, Hawkins is subtly challenging gender norms and inspiring a new generation of fans.
“I’m more of a pants girly,” Hawkins told Yahoo! Lifestyle in a recent interview. This seemingly simple statement carries weight in the context of The Wiggles’ history. When Emma Watkins joined the group in 2013, becoming the first female Wiggle, her decision to wear a skirt was considered revolutionary.
Now, Hawkins is pushing boundaries once again.
“It was a very big deal when Emma did it because it had been originally four guys,” Hawkins explained. “They all wore pants and it was beautiful because she could show that you can be a bit more girly and you can be more flamboyant with your skirts.” But Hawkins? She’s team pants all the way.
“I think wearing pants means girls and boys can relate to it as well,” she said. “Boys can wear skirts too if they want – we definitely have boys coming to the shows in skirts which is beautiful as well. But I think it’s kind of cool to see little ones wearing flared pants. It breaks the stereotype of little girls always having to wear dresses or skirts.”
Hawkins’ impact extends beyond fashion choices. As an Ethiopian-Australian, she’s providing much-needed representation for children who rarely see themselves reflected in mainstream entertainment.
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“I see Ethiopian children and they’ve been like, ‘Are you Ethiopian?’ and I’m like, ‘I am!’,” she shared. “We’ve got the same hair and they’re dressed in the exact same outfit and they’re screaming and jumping up and down. That’s so cute, and it kind of makes me a little emotional.”
The Wiggles announced earlier this month that they’re bringing a new version of their live act across Australia this summer with the ‘Wiggle and Learn BIG SHOW’, inspired by their YouTube series.
It features classic Wiggles hits and new songs from their latest album, Wiggle and Learn: 100 Education Songs for Children, celebrating their 100th album release since forming in 1991. The album teaches numeracy, language skills, and social-emotional development, among other themes, and is set for full release on Friday, August 16th.
The show will feature all eight Wiggles – Anthony, Lucia, Simon, Caterina, Lachy, John, Tsehay, and Evie – along with their Wiggly friends, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Wags the Dog, Henry the Octopus, Captain Feathersword, and The Tree of Wisdom.
Fans can also expect to hear favourites like “Hot Potato”, “Fruit Salad”, and “Rock-A-Bye Your Bear”. Tickets for the tour are on sale now at www.thewiggles.com/live.
