It’s almost time for MTN Bushfire, when over 23,000 Fire Starters from across the world will gather in the beautiful Kingdom of Eswatini for a weekend celebration of music, arts, creative activism, tolerance and inclusion from 30 May – 1 June, 2025, at the 18th edition of MTN Bushfire.
The festival will once again provide an eclectic variety of experiences on six exciting stages. It’s going to be tough choosing where to be with the powerhouse MTN Bushfire Main Stage, intimate Amphitheatre Stage, high-energy Corona Firefly Stage, acoustic UN Bring Your Fire Zone Stage, and exciting KidZone Stage as well as the electronic MeisterHaus partner stage.
In line with the festival’s call to action for sustainability, “Bring Your Fire”, MTN Bushfire supports diversity, featuring a wide range of genres, acts and performers. The programme reflects the multi-disciplinary, family friendly mix of globally acclaimed artists and hidden gems from across Africa and around the world that the festival is famous for.
This year sees the return of the legendary five-time Grammy Award-winning a capella group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, set to take us on a nostalgic journey with the worldwide hits and dazzling choreography spanning their 65-year musical legacy.
Another perfect complement to the MTN Bushfire aesthetic is Mozambique’s 340ml, coming back together after a 13-year break for their highly anticipated one-off reunion tour of South Africa, and now MTN Bushfire. Celebrated for their bold and distinctive sound, 340ml deliver their iconic fusion of Reggae, Dub, Jazz, Afrobeat with unfiltered authenticity, and will be joined on stage by special guest artist Thandiswai Mazai.
Reflecting MTN Bushfire’s focus on showcasing contemporary expressions of traditional music, the line-up for 2025 features ABAO, one of Taiwan’s biggest stars. A singer of Paiwan indigenous descent, she blends Soul, R&B, Hip Hop and Electronic with traditional Paiwan Folk Music. From South America come Grupo MAVICHI, the winners of the 2024 Afro-Colombian Festival de Músicas del Pacífico Petronio Álvarez, who highlight the musical and cultural traditions of the Pacific region of Colombia.
Some of Eswatini’s finest voices will be well represented by Heal.N Keys, Khole, Stella Jacobs, and the dynamic collaboration between Young Zesh &Lyrikal Busta, among many other fine acts.
Festivalgoers will explore a range of performances and new sounds with this year’s dynamic line-up which includes Eswatini dance troupe Intsatsakusa, who will open the festival with a soaring take on a little-known traditional dance. South Africans Nduduzo Makhathini & Omagugu will be an exciting act to look forward to with their unique spiritual Jazz, fusing modern sensibilities with inspiration from their Zulu heritage, and their famed countrymen Madala Kunene & Sibusile Xaba will perform the MTN Bushfire 2025 CollaboNation song, created together with inspired Eswatini drummer Tlale Makhena.
Discover hidden gems, with eclectic and engaging artists from around the world, including the conscious, improvisational Jazz outfit Kujenga and dynamic Afro-Gypsy band Crimson House, both hailing from Cape Town, South Africa, as well as the militant, energetic garage Rock band, The Dizzy Brains, from Madagascar. Festivalgoers can also explore the sonic world of multiple award-winning UK genre blender Zara McFarlane, who interweaves Jazz, Reggae, Folk, Nu-Soul and Electronica with the rhythms of the African diaspora.
The Corona Firefly Stage is the festival’s high-energy space and will see some of Africa’s most revered DJs performing throughout the weekend, as well as a host of international artists, including the boundary-breaking Kenyan DJ and outspoken artivist Coco Em, Zimbabwe’s Charisse C and Switzerland’s Bony Fly, as well as Oscar Mbo, Thakzin, DJ Lag and Digital Sangoma from South Africa. Eswatini will be well represented by DJs Wassabee, The Scientists, Ndumz, Ohpis, Sibu Manzini, Black Pearl, Cebo Valz and the Lady Zee & ItsAllBlaq B2B showcase.
MTN Bushfire is a proudly family friendly festival and the KidZone Stage will be busy space with this year’s theme “Planet Africa”, an environmentally conscious, fun and interactive space exploring our relationship with the continent. The UN Bring Your Fire Zone is the place to relax, exercise your social conscience, and enjoy interactive workshops such as the globally renowned South African designer Heath Nash’s Making Together(ness). Festivalgoers can also enjoy performances from absurdo-anarchist showman Huge Sillytoe, and the indigenous Taiwanese group Namguaq Girls, Eswatini’s Ziyawa KaZitha, KingDon Thobela and others, as well as the collaboration between Eswatini songbird Sarnilo and South African psychedelic RnB artist Crunchy Sweater.
Celebrated as a multidisciplinary festival of the arts, MTN Bushfire fans can expect the much-loved range of cultural performances, poetry and comedy showcases, and family friendly activities such as pop-up activations by street performers BDI; a workshop and performance by Colombian, Swati and Mozambican dance collaboration Ecos de Pangea; short films by the MUICA African Film Festival from Colombia; gravity-defying acrobatics by The Cirk, and a family-friendly theatre piece with an environmental theme, Ka-Boom. Don’t forget to check out the partner stage at the MeisterHaus, with its own line-up.
Make sure to pamper your tastebuds at the Global Food Village and indulge your inner shopper at The Barn Marketplace, where you will discover memorably creative, sustainably sourced quality products and services. 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 festival Unity Parade, celebrating diversity and inclusivity, will be held at 4pm on Saturday, and festivalgoers are encouraged to dress up for it!
