LIRA RETURNS to the stage with full band and a Powerhouse of other female talent, at BASSLINE FEST CELEBRATING AFRICA DAY at CONSTITUTION HILL on 25 MAY 2024

Bassline Fest is honoured to be celebrating Africa Day with queen of Afro soul Lira on the 25th of May at Constitution Hill. This will be her first show with a full band, after two years recovering from a stroke to strength. Joining her will be Maleh from Lesotho, Tanzania’s Kadilida and her Producer Jay Mitta and Moroccan Rita Kamale, and the Dance Africa Stage hosting incredible DJ’s to keep one dancing all day and night.

Bassline Fest will start at 2pm till late. Tickets are available from Ticketmaster. 

Earlybird’s are SOLD OUT with tickets available at R320 & R100 for children under the age of 12. 

“This powerhouse of female talent, from across our beautiful continent, ensures that this year’s Africa Day Celebration stays true to its dedication to WOMEN, celebrating the mothers, sisters & daughters who have the resilience, nurturing, courage, creativity and tenacity that keeps them going, their families going and in so doing, the continent going. ” Says Creative Director Paige Holmes,

Lesotho born, South African resident, Maleh is also on the Bassline Fest lineup. Maleh has over 20 years in the live music industry with her recent album, titled Lerato Laka which, was released in February 2022 and launched in London through her UK agent Utour. This recent body of work was produced by Nigerian born artist Victor Ikeigbo aka ‘Goldsmithonthebeat’ and has expanded the artist’s market reach by brilliantly fusing the customary African drum patterns and raw basslines of West Africa, with the smooth classic soulful sounds and melodies that are distinct to Southern African music. The album has already won Maleh a Basadi in Women African Award. 

From East Africa comes Tanzanian “badass” MC Kadilida & her Producer Jay Mitta. Hailing from the vibrant city of Dar Es Salaam, Kadilida stands as a pioneering force in the realm of African electronic music. Teaming up with Kadilida is the visionary producer Jay Mitta, Kadilida and Jay Mitta have embarked on a meteoric journey, igniting dance floors around the globe. Together, they have become synonymous with the electrifying spirit of Singeli. With its blistering 300 beats per minute tempo, and, reminiscent of western electronic music genres such as gabber and happy hardcore, Singeli embodies the raw essence of African rave culture, pulsating with an energy that is both intoxicating and irresistible. In the words of one astute journalist, “if you don’t dance to this, you’re probably dead.” Indeed, Kadilida’s music pulsates with a vitality that transcends mere entertainment, serving as a powerful testament to the transformative power of rhythm and melody. 

Adding some more spice into the talent mix is Moroccan Rita Kamale who is a multi-disciplinary artist based between London and Casablanca (Morocco). Along with being a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and producer, she is a DJ in parallel. Her sound is best categorised as Alternative RnB/Rap. An experimenter and true tempo traveller, each song is in its own realm. She describes herself as being “somewhere in between a singer and a rapper”, basking in Neo-soul and Moroccan ancestral melodies but unafraid to body an 808 heavy hip hop beat. 

 “Happy Africa Day” says Paige  Holmes, “Bassline Fest is welcoming everyone in the city to come celebrate with song, dance, food and fun. There will be an African artisanal market selling all manner of exquisitely created African food, arts  and craft, as well as bars and other food and drink stalls to choose from. “

Bassline Fest’s Brad Holmes is delighted to host Lira’s return.” We welcome Lira back onto stage as we celebrate many occasions; Lira’s return, Africa Day, 30 years of our Democracy and 30 years of Bassline. Bassline has been promoting original music from the whole of our African Continent since September 1994!”

Lira is thrilled to announce her first live performance, with a full band (mostly female in keeping with the Fest celebration), since suffering the stroke. “I am so excited and looking forward to being on stage again to perform at Bassline Fest Africa Day Celebration on Saturday 25 May 2024. What makes this performance extra special is that not only are we, in South Africa, celebrating 30 years of democracy, but we are also celebrating the new Lira as well as the Bassline’s 30th Anniversary. I have so much to be grateful for and look forward to seeing you at Constitution Hill Square on Africa Day. “