Music’s power brings the people together
● This weekend, thousands of music lovers braved the unforgiving Pretoria sun, the rain and the dust for the inaugural Hey Neighbour Festival. The three-day event welcomed more than 50,000 revellers over the weekend to see celebrated local and international acts, including Kendrick Lamar, Swedish House Mafia, The Chainsmokers, Khalid and US RnB sensation H.E.R.
Performing her Grammy-nominated hit was South African singer Tyla. Moments before she took to the stage, the sun slid below the horizon, the festival’s Ferris wheel lit up, and the skies above Legends Adventure Farm offered a prelude of sorts, as if in homage to the artist’s hit song Water.
Talking exclusively to the Sunday Times after her performance, the 21-year-old Johannesburg-born star spoke about her recent Grammy nod and her rise to fame.
“It literally feels like a dream, like it’s not actually happening, because I envisioned it from a very young age, and the fact that I’m living it now is so surreal. But I’m just trying to soak it all in and just be present, so that years from now I can look back and know that I was in the moment. It’s amazing,” she said.
Tyla was joined by her family, who watched her perform. She has been on an extensive US tour, and last month made her US TV debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in New York. She has also appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show and taught the singer the dance moves to Water, which have since gone viral.
Tyla might be living her own American dream, but it comes with its challenges — and for the singer they are food-related.
“My thing is mainly food, because I really struggle overseas with finding things to eat. So I mainly travel with mielie meal and Robertson’s spices. I have to travel with those,” she said, laughing.
Joining Tyla’s parents backstage to watch her perform was US singer Khalid, who said he is a big fan of hers and was recently introduced to amapiano.
Flanked by an entourage of about 15 people, Khalid walked through the crowd before he performed. Some fans were in tears during his spellbinding and powerful performance of his hit song Better.
Khalid, in South Africa for the first time, described his visit “back home” as special, especially his enlightening visit to the Cradle of Humankind. But it was the love he felt from the audience that had the most profound effect on him.
“There’s so much energy. The way people receive music out here — it’s a visceral feeling, and you can tell that it’s from the soul. Being introduced to the culture and all the musicians has been incredible, and I’m having a good time. Just being in South Africa is really special. I’ve never been to South Africa, so it means so much. The festival is amazing in itself, but the environment is the icing on the cake,” Khalid said.
Under the soft patter of raindrops, the crowd huddled closer together, their spirits undampened, their eyes sparkling with eager delight during every performance. At the campsite, the festival’s ethos of “turning strangers into neighbours” became a reality as campers shared fruit, ice and power banks. Rows of blue, beige and green tents came alive after the festival officially ended, with some campers lighting fires and others sharing tequila shots.
Festival director Warren Le Grange said he had been overwhelmed with joy at what he witnessed over the first two days of the festival. Every aspect of the event — from the energy of the artists to the enthusiasm of the production crew, sponsors and festivalgoers
— had turned the organisers’ dream into a reality, he said.
“We’ve seen strangers becoming neighbours, and the power of music bringing people together like never before. It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team and partners, as well as the unwavering support of our incredible community. We’re just getting started, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of this remarkable journey holds.”