Zoë Modiga joins ACCES 2025 Showcase Festival line-up in Tshwane

Modiga, born Palesa Nomthandazo Phumelele Modiga, will perform on 1 November at 012 Central in Pretoria’s CBD. She will share the stage with a diverse line-up of artists, including  Focalistic (South Africa), Claudio Rabe (Réunion Island), Kekelingo (South Africa), Boukuru (Rwanda), Jabulile Majola (South Africa), Mwendamberi (Zimbabwe), Mpho Sebina (Botswana), Bokani Dyer (South Africa), Njoki Karu (Kenya) and FIMFIM (Ghana).

The ACCES 2025 Showcase Festival will run across two venues: Propaganda Pretoria on 31 October and 012 Central on 1 November. The festival forms part of the wider ACCES programme, which combines showcases with a two-day music conference at the Aula Theatre, University of Pretoria. The conference, being hosted in Tshwane for the first time, is expected to bring together more than 1 000 delegates from over 45 countries.

Modiga has established herself as one of South Africa’s most acclaimed contemporary jazz voices. A former National School of the Arts student, she went on to study jazz performance at the University of Cape Town. In 2015, she won the SAMRO Overseas Scholarships Competition for Jazz before reaching the Top 8 on The Voice South Africa.

Her 2017 debut album Yellow: The Novel earned nominations for Best African Artist Album and Best Jazz Album at the South African Music Awards. She followed this with Inganekwane (2020), which combined jazz, Motown soul and African storytelling and reached the top of global charts. Her most recent release, Nomthandazo (2024), was accompanied by her Nzalabantu concert at Cape Town’s Star Theatre. She has also been recognised as a Spotify EQUAL Africa ambassador and received Glamour’s Women of the Year award in 2023.

With her distinctive sound and international recognition, Modiga’s inclusion adds weight to the ACCES 2025 programme, which positions itself as one of Africa’s most important music gatherings. The event provides a platform for artists to connect with industry professionals, network with delegates, and showcase their work to a global audience.

Other confirmed performers include  Thakzin (South Africa), Naledi Aphiwe (South Africa), Frida Amani (Tanzania), Oumy (Senegal), Shandesh (South Africa), Tobi Peter (Nigeria) and Charles Gene Suite (South Africa).

About ACCES

ACCES is a pan-African trade show for music industry players to exchange ideas, discover new talent, and create business linkages. Held in a different African city each year, ACCES attracts active music industry players from across the globe. ACCES 2025 is organised by the Music In Africa Foundation, a non-profit pan-African organisation, in partnership with the City of Tshwane, the South African National Conventions Bureau, and the SAMPRA Development Fund. See all our sponsors and partners here.