ZANZIBAR: THE organisers of the renowned African music festival, Sauti za Busara, which takes place in Stone Town, Zanzibar every February, announced the lineup for the 21st edition in 2024.
The exciting lineup features a diverse array of renowned and emerging musicians from various corners of the African continent and diaspora. The selection this year takes us on a musical journey across Africa, spanning from the vibrant rhythms of the East to the soulful melodies of the North, the energetic beats of the South, and the captivating sounds of the West.
Speaking with Daily News, the Festival Director, Journey Ramadhan, he that the three day event always welcomes artists who share their cultural heritage from East, West, North and South Africa, by playing their unique musical instruments to the mass attendance on the beautiful island surrounded by powdery white sand, crystal blue water and plenty of swimming, snorkelling, and diving opportunities.
“Every year we welcome artists from different parts of Africa to express their cultural heritage through music. It has always been vibrant and exciting seeing artists perform and the audience celebrating the beauty of cultural diversity among them. “About 400 artists from different parts of Africa applied to snatch a spot in a 21st edition of Sauti za Busara line-up.
We aim to bring the most unique, diverse music, culture and touch hence it’s always a tough selection. He added that as the preparations get underway, tickets for the festival are available.” He added that the price of the ticket is sold on a price cut.
According to the festival website, the offer was open to music customers from November 1st 2023 and will run till January 31st. It cited VIP Grand Stand costs US 189 dollars, Regular (International) US 139 dollars, and African passports US 68 dollars. For East African residents, US 68 dollars and for Tanzanian citizens 25,000/- .
The payment is to cover all three days of the event on February 9th, 10th and 11th. After the offer deadline all-festival passes for Tanzanians will cost only 45,000/- (three days), or 15,000/- for single day tickets.
The theme for this year’s festival is Moving Diversity.
The festival director highlighted, “Our spotlight shines brightly on quality and diverse live music from across Africa, especially women musicians, young and emerging talents with unique sounds, powerful messages, excitement, and energy on stage.”
Artists’ line-up Mádé Kuti and The Movement is one of the artists featured in the lineup.
The son of Femi Kuti and grandson of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Mádé Kuti was exposed to music early on and began playing the alto sax at the age of five.
He started touring with his father at the age of eight and wrote his first song at the age of ten. Continuing the Kuti legacy of speaking up for the everyday Nigerian folks, Mádé Kuti and his father took part in the 2020 #ENDSARS protests, which denounced police brutality in Nigeria.
On his recently released album “For(e)ward,” he played every single instrument on the record and now performs it with a 14-piece band. Mádé Kuti is said to be one of the next big names on the international radar.
Zoë Modiga is a fast-rising star in South Africa, with a virtuosic voice, instrumental skills (she plays piano, clarinet and guitar), and a knack for composing songs with hooks and texture. She pens lyrics that embrace ideas around identity, spirituality and self-discovery in her mother tongue of isiZulu.
After performing at the Cape Town Jazz Festival, AfroPunk and other big festivals in her country, she recently wowed audiences at one of the most iconic stages in Europe, the North Sea Jazz Festival.
The Brother Moves On, an internationally acclaimed outfit, are part of a powerful lineage of South African protest music. They are considered the “most important band in the country” by a South African publication platform.
Their sound is a traditiontrouncing trans-Atlantic Afrocentric futuristically ancient fusion that jackknifes between off-world spectral dub-metal, hyper-rhythmic rock psychedelia, indie-township, and astro-afro-free-jazz. Their phenomenal live shows feature masterful resistance music that heals and challenges in equal measure.
Sholo Mwamba and Tamimu will represent the singeli genre this year, and they promise outstanding performances. Other Tanzanian artists to be featured include Siti and The Band, Wakazi, Warrior from the East, Africulture, Lwendo Afrika, Brain Boy, and Mubba.
Stewart Sukuma and Banda Nkhuvu are gifted musicians, singers, and composers from the small village of Cuamba in the Mozambican state of Niassa. They are one of the legendary singers from Mozambique.
Together with Banda Nkhuvu, an 8-piece Afropop Jazz band, Sukuma combines traditional and contemporary Mozambican music styles and instrumentation to create an energetic fusion of Jazz and Afropop.
Selmor Mtukudzi is a topclass musician from Zimbabwe. Her musical journey started at the age of 10 when her father, the late Zimbabwean superstar Oliver Mtukudzi, took her to her first studio recording session for the movie soundtrack, I Am The Future.
She has won numerous awards in her home country and abroad, including the USA, and nominations in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Adding her own fresh twist to her late father’s sound, Selmor transcends the past and the future, a pure treat for all Tuku Music lovers.
Muhonja is a Kenyan singer, songwriter, actress, guitarist, percussionist, and social activist. Hailing from a family of musicians, her first inspiration was from her parents, who taught her how to play the guitar. She further grew to become a self-taught player of the Kalimba and Udu Drums.
Deeply into her music, she incorporates African chants, folk songs, and prayers, fusing African music with genres like jazz, blues, reggae, etc. She writes mostly from her own life experiences as a woman and delivers powerful messages on- and off-stage.
Sauti za Busara 2024 also promises outstanding performances from Francesco Nchikala, a singer, solo guitarist, and composer. His sound incorporates elements of smooth jazz, blues, rock, folklore, and rumba. Aliddeki Brian, a Ugandan multi-instrumentalist and an undergraduate student at the African Institute of Music specialising in Contemporary Music.
Flying Bantu, Zimbabwe, offers a contemporary, genre-bending African sound that combines funk, rock, and reggae. Their music transcends borders, creating a universal African musical experience.
Mary Anibal, the Afro-fusion artist, is a voice for the voiceless who inspires people from all walks of life through world music that blends folk and traditional music. Set for greatness, the young Zimbabwean singer offers astounding vocal, instrumental, and dance skills here to leave the audiences in awe.
Afropentatonism is the musical artistic challenge by two worldrenowned musicians: desert bluesman Alhousseini Anivolla from Niger and jazz guitarist Girum Mezmer from Addis Ababa. After years of international touring, these musicians created this project together to show the potential of music in a changing world!
Ita and Mehdy has crafted an extraordinary and eclectic musical project. Their inspiration draws deeply from the traditional music of the Maghreb, with a particular focus on the rich heritage of Bedouin, Chaoui, Maalouf, and Ahellil.
Dogo Fara means “Little rock” in Bambara, one of the languages spoken in West Africa by the Mandingue people. It is a joyful and original mix of Reunionese, African, and Western instruments and rhythms.
Anuang’a and Maasai Vocal is a Kenyan multidisciplinary group known for their exceptional talent in dance choreography and music. Sibu Manaï is a singer and songwriter from Reunion Island.
