- Afrobeats superstars Omah Lay and Adekunle Gold have been unveiled as headliners for the event.
- Joining these stars are the likes of DJ Kent, Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, and Kelvin Momo.
- The Friends of Amstel music experience is now a two-day event.
- For more lifestyle news, go to the News24 Life front page.
The official countdown to the Friends of Amstel music festival has begun, as the experience is happening this weekend with just one more sleep to go.
Last year, festival organisers brought Nigerian superstar Tems as the headline act, causing a frenzy among fans who were clamouring to see the star perform at the invitation-only event.
Also on the line-up alongside Tems were acts like Scorpion Kings, DJ Zinhle, K.O, Samthing Soweto, DBN Gogo, late rapper AKA, Amaroto, Shimza, Njelic, Lerato Kganyago, Kamo Mphela, and Young Stunna.
To further build excitement, this year’s international surprise acts have been revealed, and Friends of Amstel festival goers can look forward to seeing Afrobeats superstars Omah Lay and Adekunle Gold.
This year, Amstel shook things up by making the Friends of Amstel premium lifestyle experience a two-day event which is scheduled to take place on 11 and 12 November in Gauteng. Adekunle Gold will headline Saturday’s festivities, while Omah Lay will close the show on a high note on Sunday.
Adekunle
Getty Images Photo: Joseph Okpako/WireImage/Getty Images
Stanley Omah Didia (aka Omah Lay) is a singer and producer who burst onto the music scene in 2020, dazzling audiences with his Afrofusion magic that masterfully weaves together hip-hop, R&B, pop, and the captivating rhythms of highlife.
Omah Lay’s debut album, Boy Alone, hit the airwaves in June 2023, and he has since achieved worldwide acclaim thanks to his remarkable collaborations with global icons like Justin Bieber and Ozuna. Billed to perform on the same day are Uncle Waffle, Sjava, Kelvin Momo, Kabza De Small, among a long list of local artists.
Also joining the Friends of Amstel two-day festival is award-winning musician Adekunle Gold, who brings his mesmerising blend of contemporary pop, folk, R&B and electronica, a fusion he calls “urban highlife”.
As a singer, songwriter, and graphic designer, Adekunle Gold has become a global household name thanks to his popular debut solo single Sade, which launched in 2014. His fifth studio album. Tequila Ever After, was released in July this year.
Artists gracing the stage on Saturday are DJ Maphorisa, DJ Kent, Youngstunna, Focalistic, PH and K.O, to name a few.
“Friends of Amstel is more than an event. It’s a premium lifestyle experience that brings together some of the biggest acts in Africa to collaborate with the most talented up and coming musicians in the country. It’s an integrated experience that’s about cutting-edge new music and pushing the boundaries of music, culture and lifestyle,” said Boipelo Malao, Amstel marketing manager.
OPINION | When Maxwell cried on stage, I knew our country’s brand and social currency was still in the running
