MTN Bushfire is very excited to announce more of the amazing artists for the upcoming MTN Bushfire festival, happening from 26th-28th May, 2023. As regular fans of MTN Bushfire know, the line-up is always an exciting mix of top names they know and love, as well as perhaps less well-known discoveries from around the globe that never fail to amaze and inspire. Discovering new artists and music styles is one of the highlights of every MTN Bushfire weekend, and further announcements will be made in the coming weeks.
This year, the line-up is more diverse than ever and is headlined by a power-house female line-up, led by the Afro-Cuban-French twins Ibeyi, South Africa’s Sho Madjozi and Angolan singer Pongo, whose hybrid sounds mix Kuduro, melancholic pop, dancehall and EDM with lyrics both in Portuguese and Kimbundu.
They’ll be joined by South African gem Ami Faku, Lesotho’s Maleh, whose classic, soulful melodies celebrate the joys and challenges of womanhood, as well as the angelic, soaring voice of Eswatini’s Velemseni and rising talent iYA, whosevelvety voice excavates a deeply emotional landscape with a blend of Soul, RnB and Modern Jazz.
The line-up includes South Africans such as the highly respected rapper Stogie T, who will bring his power game to the festival, as will the veteran group Black Motion, who need no introduction. Crystal-clear vocals from Sima Mashazi, outstanding guitar playing and infectious rhythms from virtuoso musicians Louis Mhlanga, Schalk Joubert, Albert Frost and Jonno Sweetman are on tap from Afrika Blues, while pop culture icon Jack Parow, “the undisputed king of Afrikaans rap” will entertain with his feisty, fun flavour.
Regional favourites such as Zimbabwe’s Bantu Spaceship/s will bring their Afro-Electronic sounds, merging Electro, Hip Hop and Rap with Mbaqanga, Imbube, Sungura, Jit, and Chimurenga, while the highly respected Mozambican band Ghorwane will celebrate their 40th Anniversary at MTN Bushfire with their own blend of traditional music and Afro-Pop.
Haitian performer Vox Sambou also tackles social issues, in Haitian, French, English, Spanish, and Portuguese, with a mix of Hip-Hop, Afro-beat, Jazz and Reggae, while from the USA, veteran Honky Tonk musicians The Divebombers showcase their “toe tappin’ knee slappin’ foot stompin’ good ol’ American music” with top level guitar playing.
Adding to the diverse and eclectic line-up, MTN Bushfire is proud to include artists that will be touring on the Igoda Southern African Festival Network. Chad’s AfrotroniX, a truly unique sound experience with their blend of Electro-Saharian Blues, tinged with Chadian Saï, Senegalese Mbalax, Haitian Kompas, West African Mandingo roots and electric Touareg Blues. From the African islands, Fayazer transcribes his reality with conviction and eloquence, mixing Trap with Maloya, the traditional music of Réunion while Cape Verdean Scúru Fitchádu creates a direct link between Cape Verdean music and the African matrix within a punk aesthetic with disruptive electronics.
Other innovative musicians include Spain’s Javier Díez Ena, who plays the 100-year-old Theremin, the world’s oldest surviving electronic instrument, which is played through electric signals without physical contact, as well as Rumbo Tumba, a one-man orchestra show with Argentinian Salgado playing, recording and mixing an array of exclusively artisanal wooden instruments native to South America.
Comedy at MTN Bushfire this year will have guests laughing out loud with internationally renowned stand-up comedian Daliso Chaponda, who shot to fame on Britain’s Got Talent, making it to the final of the 2017 series and establishing himself as a firm favourite with the judges and the public. Guests should also prepare to be wowed by thrilling acrobatic performances in the Main Arena from The CIRK, Johannesburg’s premier circus performance company.
Additionally, MTN Bushfire Festival fans can also expect the usual diversity of performances that include cultural performances, family friendly activities, dance and, of course, the ever-popular artisanal Barn Marketplace, Global Food Village, and KidZone, as well as an invigorated Bring Your Fire Zone for interactive social and environmental advocacy.
Named “Top African festival” by the BBC and hailed by CNN as one of the “7 African music festivals you really have to see,” MTN Bushfire is looking forward to reigniting the fire in the beautiful farmlands of the valley of Malkerns, Eswatini, for a family friendly, eclectic celebration of some of the finest music in Africa and beyond.
Tickets can be purchased from the MTN Bushfire website, where glamping, camping and travel options can also be found. To learn more please visit the MTN Bushfire website, www.bush-fire.com, and look out for further acts to be announced @mtnbushfire on the all-in-one chat and music app Ayoba, as well as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
