Diverse listing for Zakifo fest
THE THIRD annual Zakifo Music Festival, which comes to Durban from May 26 to 28, features one of the most diverse line-ups yet gathered together in a festival programme. It boasts more than 30 of the finest international music-makers from the UK, Jamaica, the US, Belgium, France, Niger, Congo, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Zakifo, which was started by Jerome Galabert, Sipho Sithole and Andy Davis, is a member of Igoda, which is a music festival circuit that includes the Reunion Islands’ Sakifo Festival, Azgo festival, Bassline Africa Day concert and Bushfire festival. These all take place over three weeks and have created an artist and festival-goer circuit in southern Africa.
The Zakifo festival will take place on the promenade at Durban’s Blue Lagoon beach, with huge stages, a cultural area, food carts and stalls, craft beer bars, local traders and interactive installation art exhibits.
The line-up is impressive, so before they get here, here’s a bit more information about the artists who will be performing this year. WHO: Damian “Jr Gong” Marley WHAT: Us/jamaican reggae artist and the youngest son of reggae icon Bob Marley. Damian was two years old when his father died. He has won three Grammy awards. SONGS: The Master Has Come Back, Road to Zion, Welcome to Jamrock, As We Enter, Now That You Got It. QUOTE: “Everyone is related to Africa; everyone comes from Africa. We are all distant relatives.” WHO: Jojo Abot WHAT: Jojo Abot is a Ghanaian artist expressing herself through music, film/photography, literature and performance art. SONGS: To Li, Stop The Violence, Le Le Le. QUOTE: “I’ve always loved all things spiritual, hypnotic and electronic, fused with the traditional melodies and rhythms I grew up listening to as a child. I’ve always found strength in my femininity and identity as both a woman and a Ghanaian. My music is a reflection of those key elements which largely serve as a basis for my life experience.” WHO: Baloji WHAT: Baloji is a Belgian rapper, MC and hip hop artist of Congolese origin. Known as MC Balo in the hip hop group Starflam, he continued as a solo artist in 2004. SONGS: Karibu Ya Bintou, Spoiler, Independance Cha-cha. QUOTE: “The way I was creating my melodies, the rhythmic patterns in my music, it felt like it was part of my subconscious.” WHO: Tiggs Da Author WHAT: Tanzanian-born, Uk-raised singer/ songwriter/producer. SONGS: Run, Georgia, Swear Down. QUOTE: “I want to win a Grammy. That’s all I want to do, so I’m just going to keep making music until I get one.” WHO: Birdy Nam Nam WHAT: Birdy Nam Nam are a DJ crew from France. They have won several prizes throughout their career, including the DMC Technics 2002 World Team championships. Birdy Nam Nam’s goal is to use the turntable player as an actual musical instrument. SONGS: Goin’ In, Jaded Future, Too Much Skunk Tonight, Defiant Order. QUOTE: “The turntable was our way to ‘touch’ the sound, our relationship to the music.”