Sparks will fly, feet will glide and the groove will take over! MTN Bushfire 2026 is thrilled to set the tone for its signature lineup of bold artistic expression, global infusion and cultural diversity with an act that knows how to sweeten tuff times with every note!
Internationally acclaimed London-based, genre-bending ensemble, Kokoroko will be tuning the fire at the 19th edition of the festival with their explorative odyssey of jazz, highlife, afrobeat, soul and Black diasporic music that has asserted them as a prominent force in the UK jazz renaissance.
Prepare to bask in Kokoroko’s spirited sonic celebration at MTN Bushfire from 29 to 31 May, 2026 at House On Fire in the scenic Malkerns Valley of Eswatini. This first lineup reveal sets the stage for the second artist drop coming in hot in January 2026.
Fresh out of their NPR Tiny Desk performance released in October 2025, Kokoro’s 2022 debut album, ‘Could We Be More’ earned this British music collective chords of global recognition. Named “ones to watch” by The Guardian, Kokoroko has been featured in The Telegraph, Financial Times, CRACK Magazine and garnered a string of applause from other international media.
With a Top 40 UK album chart feature under their belt and sold out shows across Europe, Australia and North America, Kokoroko is a sure-fire treat for loyal fans and Fire Starters who will have the rare opportunity to discover their radiant, horn-led sounds on Eswatini soil.
At the heart of Kokoroko’s appeal is their ability to translate heritage into feeling. Their music carries echoes of West African disco, lovers rock, neo-soul and Brit-funk, wrapped in lush arrangements and playful rhythms that invite collective movement. Tracks like “Sweetie”, (from their latest album, “Tuff Times Never Last”, released in July 2025) a brass-fuelled, boogie-inflected celebration of love and joy, perfectly capture Kokoroko’s magical ability to create music that smiles back at you.
Formed out of a shared passion to connect young people in the African daispora through their fusion of sounds, Kokoroko is a gathering of conscious creativity, a meeting point for creative freedom and an infectious symbol of radical joy. Expect to lose yourself to music that moves the body while holding space for reflection, resilience and community.
This is precisely the kind of artistry MTN Bushfire champions. Artists who don’t just perform, but connect. Kokoroko are perfectly tuned to amplify the festival’s programme aesthetic which champions artistic brilliance that bridges continents and ignites a broader commitment to cultural dialogue and social impact.
We cannot wait to unite at MTN Bushfire 2026 to the soundtrack of Kokoroko’s music rippling through the festival arena, carrying sweetness, fire and soul in equal measure.
As the first music act unveiled for MTN Bushfire 2026, Kokoroko signal what’s to come – an MTN Bushfire programme that celebrates diversity of genre, Pan-African excellence and global voices that dare to be joyful, thoughtful and free!
Will you be there?
Tickets to MTN Bushfire 2026 are selling at a record-breaking high. More than 70% of festival tickets have been sold since they went live in October 2025.
For the first time this year, the increased demand for MTN Bushfire has prompted the launch of a Phase 4 ticket tier. While tickets have sold out completely at least two months before the festival for the past 13 consecutive years, this is projected to happen much sooner for the 2026 edition.
So be sure to secure your tickets now while they’re still available. To purchase your festival tickets and camping tickets, visit the “Tickets” page on www.bush-fire.com.
This is how we ignite the journey to MTN Bushfire 2025!
