The 16th Edition of MTN Bushfire was once again a bucket list experience with more than 20,000 guests in attendance, who represented 50 countries. They experienced 87 different acts from 34 countries - a true reflection of unity in diversity and the bringing to life of MTN Bushfire’s guiding principles of inclusion, tolerance, and celebration through the Arts. MTN Bushfire 2023 was a resounding success. There's literally everything for everyone at MTN Bushfire.
More than a music festival, MTN Bushfire also runs a number of important cultural development initiatives. Prior to the festival kicking off the public, the annual Schools Festival took place with young people from the local communities taking part in a two-day arts education project. This year, the Schools Festival included over 800 students, enabling an appreciation and understanding of the importance of the arts.
MTN Bushfire is also family friendly and the KidZone in 2023 is the space where young Fire Starters can run free in this secure adventurous space filled with stimulating and fun-filled activities ranging from storytelling, sculpting and music workshops to high-energy lawn games. Each year, the festival works with a special theme for the KidZone that inspires creativity, engagement and skills development for young people of all ages, overseen by experienced, vetted child-care workers.
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As an African rooted yet global festival, this year’s line-up featured a strong African focus and yet also welcomed artists from across the globe. MTN Bushfire 2023 once again presented a diversity of styles and sounds with artists such as Mokoomba (ZW), whose unique sound blends genres as diverse as Sungura, Reggae, Dancehall, Urban and Afro Jazz with traditional rhythms and contemporary Zimrock.
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one of South Africa’s brightest and boldest stars, Sho Madjozi is an accomplished, multi award-winning artist with audacious energy and a colourful aesthetic making for a powerful stage presence; and Jack Parow, rapper, poet and a South African Pop Culture Icon, and self-proclaimed “Undisputed King of Afrikaans Rap. Other Main Stage artists include South Africa’s Desmond and the Tutus, Ami Faku, the award-winning musician, performer and songwriter, and one of the most important voices to come out of South Africa in the last few years ,and the legendary Black Motion known for blending House music with lively indigenous percussion and multilingual vocals.
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Angolan singer Pongo whose hybrid sounds mix Kuduro, Melancholic Pop, Dancehall and EDM with lyrics both in Portuguese and Kimbundu; iYA, a singer-songwriter, vocal arranger and vocal coach from Eswatini, Lagos-based The Cavemen whose'Highlife Fusion' combines Highlife, Afrobeat, Jazz, and Soul music; and Ibeyi, a French musical duo consisting of Afro-Cuban-French twin sisters who sing in English, French, Spanish and Yoruba.
My personal favourite stage, The House on Fire Ampitheatre is an awe-inspiring performance area with a distinctly unique flavour at its core. A sunken ‘Afro-Shakespearean Globe Theatre’ that houses a range of thought-provoking entertainment, including music, poetry, theatre and dance, it provides a more intimate setting for artists and audience. Discover hidden gems with eclectic and engaging artists from around the world, I got to experience the incredibly gifted Singing healer Desire Marea his electrifying performance left me in awe of his talent. Rumbo Tumba is a one-man orchestra, playing, recording and mixing an array of exclusively artisanal wooden instruments native to South America; Aka Kelzz, a Berlin-based singer-songwriter; Scúru Fitchádu who represents a direct reference to both Cape Verdean music and African matrix, within punk aesthetics and disruptive electronics; and Javier Díez Ena, a double bass player, thereminist and electronic musician, who plays the Theremin or Etherphone, the oldest surviving electronic instrument in the world, which is played through electric signals without physical contact. And an absolutely beautiful set to an overflowing venue from Lesotho’s Maleh. I got an opportunity to chat with one-on-one. Lookout for that interviews.
The HOF also play host to comedy 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. Imbilini…my friend!, a brand new South African play, written and performed by Bulelani Mabutyana, along with Siphenathi Mayekiso, directed by the award-winning Mdu Kweyama will also be performed on the HOF Stage.
The Ballantine’s Firefly Stage saw some of Africa’s coolest DJs performing throughout the weekend in an explosive, engaging and high-energy space to dance the weekend away. A melting pot of diverse talent, both local and international, showcase their skills and bring you the very best that Electronic, House and Amapiano have to offer. Sets included; DJ V, a dynamic and versatile Hip-Hop DJ and the ’queen of bangers’ who unleashes a relentless stream of "bangers" that will set the dance floor ablaze with her electrifying presence and impeccable mixing skills; Kreative Nativez, a duo of Producer/ DJ from Lusaka in Zambia; Abby Nurock (ZA), one of the few female vinyl DJs. South African DJ and Producer Kabza De Small as well as DJ, record producer, singer and dancer Murdah, best known for being a former member of the musical band Black Motion are also featured in this year’s line-up.
Eswatini’s own Speech Umlangeni is a house music DJ and producer specializing in Afro-House, Tribal, Techno and Old School House music. Other local DJs taking the stage will include Slotta who offers a musical escape to a place of harmonic solace, DJ Mseto, an Eswatini born house music DJ, Producer, graphics designer, compiler & house music activist, DJ Fantacy , conscious rap musician Bluu Jay, 𝗬ung 𝗧empo, rapper, songwriter, mixing engineer and record producer, and Trend Twins, a female Afro House DJ duo to name a few.
International DJs from around the globe are also in the line-up, including Megatronic, a culture producer, DJ and music enthusiast from the UK, Finland’s Venior who mixes Wild, Experimental Beats with Heavy Bass Sounds, Powerful Vocals; and from the Caribbean Gwada Mike, whose sets often bring a mix of Caribbean sounds blended with urban tracks.
Other event highlights include a diverse range of activations and performances including comedy, panel conversations, live muralists and more. Those campers at the All Out Camp Site can also take part in the All Out Campsite Gym, where fitness gurus will be running a series of free classes from 6am -10 am on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th May in the mornings.
There were also daily performances and activations in the UN Eswatini supported Bring Your Fire Zone, where MTN Bushfire’s resounding call to action of #BringYourFire is brought to life. Make sure to also visit the Global Food Village and the Marketplace where you will discover the memorably creative, sustainably-sourced, quality products and services on offer. This space is designed for the ethical consumer, with each company or artisan contributing in a positive way to the environment and their communities.
The MTN Bushfire Arts Round Table supported by FNB, was Eswatini’s foremost arts industry development workshop promoting skills sharing, digital media development, and best practices throughout the continent. Took place on Friday, 26th May 2023, local and international music industry professionals came together for an exciting creative collaborative exchange.
Now in its second year, MTN Bushfire’s partnership with the European based Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC), as well as the support from FNB Eswatini, enables direct networking and connections between the European and African music markets. The partnership also seeks to create a synergy that lays the foundation for an annual opportunity to meet, engage, showcase, and activate a dynamic range of topics and outputs. This year, FNB Eswatini is supporting the arts development aspect of MTN Bushfire with R600,000, of which R200,000 will go directly to support the Arts Round Table conference.
MTN Bushfire’s Arts Round Table 2023 hosted speakers from the region and around the world, all with expertise across various pillars of the music business ecosystem. The themes was centred on:
Empowering Female Voices: Amplifying them in the music business
· Developing Independence: Unpacking ways in which we are developing the music sector from a creative and professional perspective in Africa and how we exchange ideas and resources to make this possible
- Building Bridges: Creating a common ground for international and local music professionals which encourages a valuable cultural and knowledge exchange.
- Night-time Safety: Night-time communities are pivotal to our music industry as they contribute to the advancement of culture as we know it. How are we ensuring that they remain accessible and safe for all?
The speakers who took part in this interactive and engaging event included Jonas - Performing Artist, The Planetoids (DE), Namakau Star – Performing Artist (ZA/ZM), Sebastian Spring – Head of Publisher Affairs at Mint Digital Services (CH), Sarah-Jane Nicholson – Founder of ARMC (DE/ZA), Alexis Waltz - Groove Mag (DE), Christine - Music in Africa (ZA), Lution – XLR Media (SZ), Khulekani ‘KarlyB’ Mamba – Platinum Concepts (SZ), Gaurav Narula – WOMEX (DE), Jiggs Thorne - MTN Bushfire (SZ), Marcus Gora – Mokoomba Band Manager (ZW), Sharon Ramashoba – ARMC (ZA/DE), Sibusiso Simelane – Upscale Live (SZ), Megatronic – Performing DJ (GB), Alex Flitsch – Owner, Connaisseur Recordings (DE), Slawjana Ulrich - Co-Founder Stil vor Talent (DE), Sizo Hlophe – Antidote Music (SZ), Qibho Intalektual – Performing Poet (SZ), Jake Beaumont-Nesbitt – International Music Managers Forum (GB), Martha Mangwani – Performing Artist (ZA), Venoir – Performing Artist (FI/DE), AKA KELLZ – Performing Artist (GB/DE), Velemseni – Performing Artist (SZ), Karin Mueller – Music Academy – Berlin (DE), Thilini Jayawickrama – Performing DJ (DE), Phetsile Masilela – ECASWA President (SZ), ZAMO – Performing Artist (SZ/ZA), Musonda Chimba – Arts Industry Professional (SZ)
With the return to full capacity, MTN Bushfire beneficiaries will once again benefit significantly from ticket and merchandise sales, while the large crowds brought in significant tourism revenue to local businesses, with local arts and crafts vendors as well as food stalls benefitting from a full-strenth MTN Bushfire crowd.
MTN Bushfire extends its thanks to the over 20,000 guests in attendance, who represented 50 countries. They experienced 87 different acts from 34 countries - a true reflection of unity in diversity and the bringing to life of MTN Bushfire’s guiding principles of inclusion, tolerance, and celebration through the arts.