Blue Lagoon Beach, Durban: 26, 27 and 28 May 2017
The third annual Zakifo Music Festival, Durban features one of the most multi-genre global music line-ups ever gathered together in one festival programme boasting over 30 of the finest international music-makers from UK, Jamaica, USA, Belgium, France, Niger, Congo, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and South Africa, which comes to Durban to the new festival site, Blue Lagoon Beach from 26 – 28 May.
This super-festival will take place at Durban’s Blue Lagoon beach on the promenade, with huge stages, a cultural area, food carts and stalls, craft beer bars, local traders and interactive installation art exhibits.
The sea breeze and crashing waves will provide the backdrop this year for the astonishing musical line up which includes Damian Marley (USA/ Jamaican reggae artist and youngest son of reggae musician Bob Marley); Birdy Nam Nam (DJ crew from France); Ray Phiri (respected South African jazz, fusion and mbaqanga musician); Petite Noir (Belgian / South African singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer); Bongeziwe Mabandla (singer / song writer, guitarist and two time SAMA nominee known for his blend of urban-African folk); Thandiswa Mazwai (socially-conscious musician who incorporates mbaganga, reggae, traditional Xhosa rhythms, kwaito, jazz and funk into her music); Nova Twins (urban punk London duo – Amy Love: vocals, guitar and Georgia South: bass, backing vocals);
Bombino (an internationally acclaimed Tuareg guitarist and singer-songwriter from Agadez, Niger); Lu Dlamini (Durban singer song-writer); Baloji (Belgian rapper, MC and hip hop artist of Congolese origin); Tiggs Da Author (rapper, singer, songwriter and producer from South London – via Tanzania); JobieClarke (AKA Ntando Sithole- a Johannesburg based, classically trained afro-soul vocalist); and Jojo Abot (a Ghanaian artist expressing herself through music, film/photography, literature and performance art)
Zakifo, which was was started by Jerome Galabert, Sipho Sithole and Andy Davis, is a member of Igoda which is a music festival circuit that includes Sakifo Festival, Azgo festival, Bassline Africa Day concert, and Bushfire festival. These festivals happen over a period of three weeks and have created an artist and festival goer touring circuit in the Southern African region.
“Sakifo means what is needed in Creole,” says festival director, Jerome Galabert. “With Zakifo Durban our intention is the same. We want to answer the call of the city’s creative voices; strengthening ties between the cultural communities of the Indian Ocean, from India to Australia to China and of course Reunion, Madagascar and Mauritius. Through our world-class line-up we strive to inspire and create lasting opportunities for collaboration; cross cultural exchanges; economic opportunities and skills development.”
“This partnership with Reunion Islands has been a dream of mine. I have attended a number of music festivals internationally and there was no better choice and fit than Zakifo to bring to South Africa, particularly my home town and province. Zakifo is a destination festival, a people to people encounter and we guarantee you that over the years this festival will become part of travelers’ annual calendar coming from all over the world,” said Sipho Sithole, one of the festival partners and founder / owner of Native Rhythms.
Zakifo would like to thank their partners East Coast Radio, The Department of Arts and Culture, Air Austral, eThekwini Municipality and Durban Tourism for their continued support of the festival.
Tickets are on sale through Computicket
Early Bird options now available!
A full event breakdown is available on www.zakifo.com
Instagram: @zakifofest
Twitter: @zakifomusikfest
Facebook: @zakifofest
