With just three weeks to go until the 17^th edition of MTN Bushfire Festival taking place from 31 May to 2 June at House On Fire in Eswatini, the festival is thrilled to announce this year’s headlining act – the internationally revered, legendary pioneers of the Malian Blues genre, Amadou & Mariam!

With a career spanning almost 50 years, Amadou & Mariam have asserted themselves as the ultimate ambassadors of Afropop. They have enjoyed international success, collaborated with some of the world’s greatest names (Damon Albarn of Blur, Santigold, Scissor Sisters, Theophilus London, Amp Fiddler) and toured the world’s largest festivals. Throughout their decades-long career, they have taken the Malian Blues that made them a household name and opened it up to Rock, Hip Hop and Disco influences, spreading their Afropop message and joie de vivre. The duo is a perfect and welcome addition to the MTN Bushfire line-up as they replace the previously announced headliner, Nneka, who had to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances.

In more electrifying updates, the ever-popular Ballantine’s Firefly Stage will be headlined by some of South Africa’s top names in House Music, Da Capo, Daliwonga and Vigro Deep, courtesy of Ballantine’s.

Da Capo is hailed as one of South Africa’s finest House Music DJs and Producers. With his distinct genre-bending sounds, he has earned recognition for his blend of African rhythms and electronic beats with hit tracks that set dance floors ablaze across the world. Another of the prominent voices in the Amapiano genre, Daliwonga, will captivate with his Amapiano anthems laced with soulful vocals and infectious melodies. Rising Amapiano DJ and producer, Vigro Deep, will be firing up the Ballantine’s Firefly stage with his distinctive Amapiano flair, fused expertly with elements of EDM, Dubstep, Techno House and other genres.

The Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC) which is the official partner for MTN Bushfire’s annual Arts Round Table arts industry workshops, will be sponsoring acts ALBI X and Rita Kamale. Intoxicating and energetic, ALBI X is an Afro-German who speaks to young people with complex identities and life realities. He celebrates his multinational self with a lyrical fusion of Lingala, French and English, countering discrimination with a positive, energetic and inclusive worldview. Rita Kamale is a multi-disciplinary artist based between London and Casablanca, Morocco, with a sound best categorised as Alternative RnB/Rap.

These join the list of previously announced acts, available on the MTN Bushfire website, with artists from across the festival’s official stages: the MTN Bushfire Main Stage, House On Fire Amphitheatre Stage, Ballantine’s Firefly Stage, UN Bring Your Fire Zone Stage and KidZone Stage, as well as partner stages, the Heineken, Jagermeister and Corona Stages.

To purchase tickets, please visit the MTN Bushfire website, www.bush-fire.com, and follow @mtnbushfire on the all-in-one chat and entertainment app AYOBA, as well as Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter).