Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 to headline MTN Bushfire 2022

The ‘Rise’ singer will entertain fans at the MTN Bushfire main stage. Other confirmed artists include South Africans Nasty C, The Kiffness, BLK JKS, Sun-El Musician, DBN Gogo, Msaki, BONJ, Ndlovu Youth Choir, Culoe De Song, Mandisi Dyantyis, Hot Water, The One Who Sings (Zolani Mahola), Sands, !Sooks, Khole and Nana as well as Leomile (Lesotho), Moticoma (Mozambique), Mpho Sebina (Botswana), Aurus (Reunion), Blindsmyth (Germany), Bnnyhunna (Netherlands) and Rimon (Eritrea).

“As has become the norm at MTN Bushfire, music fans will find an eclectic combination of the names they know and love, as well as newer acts and artists from around Africa and beyond,” the festival said. Discovering new artists and music styles is one of the highlights of every MTN Bushfire weekend. More artists will be announced in the weeks to come, but already the MTN Bushfire 2022 line-up promises to exceed expectations.

“Additionally, MTN Bushfire festival fans can also expect the usual diverse range of arts, culture and family friendly activities, performances and activations. This year’s line-up will also include theatre, comedy, dance and of course the ever-popular artisanal marketplace, food village and kid zone.”

Seun Kuti, the youngest son of Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti, assumed the leadership of his father’s Egypt 80 band at the age of 14. Since then, he has followed the political and social ethos of his father. Along the way, he began to add his own twist to the music, digging deep into various African traditions to reflect the continent’s struggles and cultures.

Egypt 80 is a 14-piece band that performs with a visceral intensity that has wowed audiences all over the world. About three quarters of the current Egypt 80 line-up consists of musicians that not only played with Fela Kuti but often were arrested and harassed alongside the founder of the Afrobeat movement.

In 2019, Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 received a Grammy nomination in the Best World Music Album category for Black Times but lost out to South Africa’s Soweto Gospel Choir’s Freedom album. 

Ticket information and COVID-19 protocols

The first batch of tickets have sold out and full-price, second-batch tickets are now available for purchase on the MTN Bushfire official website.

MTN Bushfire says festivalgoers are required to provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination. This is a requirement for all ages eligible for vaccination and a valid ticket alone will not be enough to gain entry. Tickets that were purchased in 2020 can only be used in 2022, but ticket holders will need to reregister their options for this year.