AMADOU & MARIAM TO STOKE THE MTN BUSHFIRE
The 17th edition of the MTN Bushfire festival is scheduled to take place from 31 May to 2 June at the House On Fire in Eswatini. Headlining the festival this year, is none other than the internationally acclaimed, legendary pioneers of the Malian Blues genre, Amadou & Mariam. e duo have been in the music industry for over 50 years, and they have asserted themselves as the ultimate ambassadors of Afropop. Over the years, they have enjoyed international success, collaborated with some of the world’s greatest names such as Damon Albarn of Blur, Santigold, Scissor Sisters, eophilus London, Amp Fiddler to mention a few. On top of this, they have also toured the world’s largest festivals.
According to a press release, over the course of their decades- long career, they have taken the Malian Blues that made them a household name and opened it up to Rock, Hip Hop and Disco in uences, spreading their Afropop message and joie de vivre.
“e duo is a perfect and welcome addition to the MTN Bush re line- up as they replace the previously announced headliner, Nneka, who had to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances,” explains the release.
In other news, the ever- popular Ballantine’s Fire y Stage will be headlined by some of South Africa’s top names in House Music scene, including the rebrand that is Da Capo, Daliwonga and Vigro Deep, courtesy of Ballantine’s. e release explains that Da Capo is hailed as one of South Africa’s nest House Music DJs and Producers. With his distinct genre- bending sounds, he has earned recognition for his blend of African rhythms and electronic beats with hit tracks that set dance floors ablaze across the world. “One of the prominent voices in the Amapiano genre, Daliwonga will captivate with his Amapiano anthems laced with soulful vocals
and infectious melodies. Rising Amapiano DJ and producer, Vigro Deep will be ring up the Ballantine’s Fire y stage with his distinctive Amapiano air fused expertly with elements of EDM, dubstep, techno house and other genres,” says the press release.
Other highlights to look forward to include the Africa Rising Music Conference ( ARMC) which is the o cial partner for MTN Bush re’s annual Arts Round Table arts industry workshops. ey will be sponsoring acts ALBI X and Rita Kamale. ALBI X is an Afro- German who speaks to young people with complex identities and life realities. He celebrates his multinational self with a lyrical fusion of Lingala, French and English, countering discrimination with a positive, energetic and inclusive worldview. Rita Kamale is a multi- disciplinary artist based between London and Casablanca, Morocco, with a sound best categorised as Alternative RnB/ Rap.
Festival goers can also look forward to performances by the legendary South African singer/ songwriter, andiswa Mazwai, with her uplifting sociopolitical messaging and inspiring fusion of traditional Xhosa rhythms, Mbaqanga, Funk, Jazz and Reggae. e release also notes that the southern African region is also well represented with Lesotho singer and songwriter, Maleh, who returns to the festival with rich melodies and raw baselines of west and southern African music. Eswatini’s Bholoja will once again steal hearts with his distinct voice and authentically Swazi sound. Steward Sukuma from Mozambique is another exciting act to look forward to. Steward combines traditional and contemporary Mozambican music with revolutionary instrumentation creating an energetic, danceable and infectious sound.
Other acts to look forward to include American- Sudanese rapper and producer, Oddissee & Good Compny, Spanish duo, Fetén Fetén as well as French DJ, DJ Sebb just to mention a few.