Business as usual: Kenya fest back in Feb

The announcement of the new dates is a clear indication that the Kenyan showbiz industry is now ready for business after a grueling year of underperformance.

“We held a December edition of our one-day festival, Blankets and Wine, and the response was really amazing,” a spokesperson for the organisers said. “You could feel that people were really eager to get out and have fun after what they had been through all year.”

The political uncertainty occasioned by the 2017 presidential election negatively affected all industries in Kenya. The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) estimated that private businesses lost up to 700 million Kenyan shillings ($6.8m) between July and October. The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) lost 92 billion shillings in market capitalisation on the day after the Supreme Court nullified the election and another 38 billion a day after.

The ripple effect was felt across the economy with many major festivals and concert tours cancelled or postponed. However, with the conclusion of the electioneering process and the toning down of political rhetoric, it’s now business as usual.

The Africa Nouveau announcement also signals the resilience of Kenyan music festivals and makes a case for more investment in the sector. Since 2015, the festival has held successful annual events. It is organised by Good Times Africa, the creators of the Blankets and Wine. Over the years, a number of festivals have duplicated the concept and business model of Blankets and Wine with measurable success. These festivals have become major revenue generators for the entire music ecosystem and the creative economy at large.

This year’s Africa Nouveau Festival brings together innovative music, film and fashion from African creatives under the theme Afrobubblegum, a term coined by renowned Kenyan film director Wanuri Kahiu. The Afrobubblegum ideology asserts the right of African creatives to be as fun, fierce and fantastical as they can be in an attempt to rebrand the ‘dark continent’ stereotype that has dogged Africa for centuries.

The live programme includes musicians from Sao Tome and Principe, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa and DRC, with South African star Kwesta headlining the festival.

“Our line-up was inspired by our desire to showcase upcoming artists from various genres. Our founder Muthoni Drummer Queen was very instrumental in picking the final list,” the organisers said.

The February edition of Africa Nouveau Festival will also feature a significant fashion component, thanks to a partnership with the British Council under the East African Arts programme. Participants will include various fashion enterprises, designers, photographers, stylists and other actors within the fashion industries of Kenya, Ethiopia and the UK.

Additionally, the festival will screen virtual reality films curated by Kahiu as part of the Afrobubblegum theme.

For more informaton, visit the festival's Facebook page.