Ramouna Shipunda
Emmency Nuukala
Namibians are spoiled for choice, with two high-quality music concerts scheduled for this weekend.
From today till Saturday, veteran Namibian Kwaito master King Tee Dee will showcase his act as the headliner of the Standard Bank Musical Festival at the Unam Stadium.
On Sunday, Nigerian music export Burna Boy will be showering Namibia with his Love Damini show at the Hage Geingob Rugby Stadium.
Both shows promise premier entertainment and with a throng of local acts lined up, those who can only attend one event might find it hard to choose between the two.
The Standard Bank Musical Festival is back for its fourth edition with two days to feast on music, fashion and entertainment. Initiated in 2018 by the Mshasho team, the festival is said to be a form of uniting not only people in the music industry but supporters as well, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs, and also giving back to the economy. The festival has been long-awaited by the public with its absence due to the pandemic.
Marketing executive for the Standard Bank Musical Festival Ilke Platt told VIBEZ! that with the experience they have gained from hosting the event for over three years, they have now mastered what the public enjoys and what they do not.
“We are certain to deliver the best this year with a strong line-up of performers such as King Tee Dee, Tate Buti, Mr Makoya, One Blood and many more,” shared the excited Platt.
She advised the public not to miss out as it is going to be an event “full of fireworks, good food, drinks and most of all good music”.
King Tee Dee will also be performing at the Love Damini show.
Gordon Jay of Mindscape Events, who has put the Love Damini Namibian tour together, said the show is going to be different from other events to a large extent as it shows that Namibia is indeed an entertainment hub and can successfully host events of such magnitude.
“The event will also achieve extraordinary success by smashing boundaries between different genres of music, given the vast variety in the line-up. We are also aiming to let the world know that indeed, Namibia is ready to work with creatives from all corners, as we have South Africa and Angolan entertainers as well.”
Jay said they also want to stress unity within the arts, and with that in mind, some of the best artists in the country were selected.
“Namibia has a lot to offer, but this is just one event and cannot accommodate all of the talents we have,” he noted.
Jay added that they are beyond excited, saying the event has been in the works for years as Burna Boy was expected to come earlier, but the global pandemic hit and disrupted all industries.
“This, however, gave us more time to perfect the Sunday event, and the atmosphere and energy are all positive. We are all working hard to deliver one of the biggest events post-pandemic in Namibia.”
Multi-award winner Burna Boy said he is honoured to perform in Namibia with a rich history, and some of the best sceneries the continent has to offer, and he can’t wait to experience that.
“The night is going to be nothing short of top-tier entertainment, a gift from me to you for being patient and loving my work. It is because of art lovers and enthusiasts that we too grow as creatives and be able to evolve,” he was quoted as saying.
One of the artists in the line-up for both the Standard Bank Musical Festival and Burna Boy, Yeezir, said it is an overwhelming feeling to know that he would be sharing a stage with the biggest names in music at the moment.
The young musician said he actually found out through social media that he was one of the lucky artists to share a stage with Burna Boy.
Yeezir stated that he was more than ready to give the performance of his life, and that this is definitely a stepping stone in his life, and promises to work hard and make Namibia proud.
He is looking forward to performing for such big crowds.
“The feeling of performing for a crowd that gives you the same energy you give is unmatched, and shows that people actually do believe and have hope in you and your musical career. I am grateful and honoured to have to represent my country on such a big stage,” he said.
Both events will be supporting local SME food and drink vendors.
The Standard Bank Musical Festival is starting at 18h00 till 24h00 on both days, while the Love Damini extravaganza starts at 13h00 on Sunday.