Somi (Rwanda/Uganda) and South African musician Msaki will co-headline the first-ever Sankofa Heritage Festival on 28 February at Carnival City. The festival, founded by Thandiswa Mazwai, marks her 50th birthday and 30 years in music.
Thandiswa Mazwai says:
I am thrilled to have my dear friends Somi and Msaki with us for the inaugural Sankofa Fest. We’ve shared stages across the world, and their work celebrates archives, culture, and young artists in ways that inspire me.”
Somi is a vocalist, composer, actor, and playwright. She is the daughter of Ugandan and Rwandan immigrants. Her fifth album, Zenzile: The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba, complements her Off-Broadway musical Dreaming Zenzile, a tribute to Makeba. She has received the Doris Duke Artist Award, two NAACP Image Awards, and the inaugural Jazz Music Award for Best Vocal Performance.
Msaki is a composer, singer, songwriter, curator, and visual artist. She has worked on Black Coffee’s Grammy-winning album and was the 2022 Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year for Music. Msaki is also part of the 2025 South African Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. For Sankofa Fest, she will perform with artists from Sudan and Kenya.
Thandiswa Mazwai will also perform with additional guest artists, to be announced.
Opening Act Competition
The festival has launched a competition to find emerging traditional musicians, groups, and bands. Winners will perform at the festival, giving new talent a platform rooted in African heritage.
- Details: www.thandiswa.com/sankofa-festival
- Entry deadline: 31 January 2026
- Winners announced: 11 February 2026
