The Sankofa Heritage Festival, founded by celebrated musician and cultural activist Thandiswa Mazwai, is proud to announce Grammy-nominated artist Somi (Rwanda/Uganda) and acclaimed South African musician Msaki as co-headliners for the festival’s inaugural edition.
Taking place on Saturday, 28 February 2026, at Carnival City, the Sankofa Heritage Festival marks Thandiswa Mazwai’s 50th birthday and 30 years in the music industry, while launching what is set to become an annual cultural gathering celebrating African heritage and artistic legacy.
Regarding the lineup,“I am so excited to have my dear friends Somi and Msaki as co-headliners for the inaugural year of Sankofa Fest,” says Thandiswa Mazwai. “They have been very dear sisters to me for many years, and we have been appearing at each other’s events all over the world. Somi is a Rwandan/Ugandan musician who centres archives in her work, and we have worked together on her album dedicated to Miriam Makeba. Msaki is more than a musician — she is a cultural worker who has activated many young artists’ careers. For Sankofa Fest, she will be appearing with an ensemble that includes artists from Sudan and Kenya.”
For Somi “Returning to Johannesburg to perform at Thandiswa Mazwai’s Sankofa Festival feels deeply personal. Thandiswa is not only a towering artist but a dear sister whose strength, sonic imagination, and uncompromising commitment to Africa’s past and future always keep me inspired. To be a part of the first iteration of a festival she has dreamed into being — grounded in memory, return, and forward motion — is an honor. Marking my first appearance in South Africa in four years, in the company of my sister and friend, makes this return to Johannesburg and this moment of reunion especially meaningful.”
Somi is a vocalist, composer, actor, and playwright, and the daughter of immigrants from Uganda and Rwanda. Her fifth studio album, Zenzile: The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba, is a companion project to the critically acclaimed original musical Dreaming Zenzile, which Somi wrote and starred in Off-Broadway as a tribute to Miriam Makeba. She is a recipient of the Doris Duke Artist Award, two NAACP Image Awards for Best Vocal Jazz Album, and the inaugural Jazz Music Award for Best Vocal Performance.
Msaki is a composer, singer, songwriter, curator, and visual artist. A South African Music Award (SAMA)–winning musician, she contributed as a writer, composer, and artist to Black Coffee’s Grammy Award–winning album. She was named the 2022 Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year for Music and is part of the 2025 South African Pavilion at the Venice BiennaleAs headliner and curator, Thandiswa Mazwai will also be joined by additional guest artists during her performance, with further names to be announced in due course.
In keeping with the festival’s commitment to heritage, the Sankofa Heritage Festival has launched an opening act competition for upcoming traditional musicians, groups, and bands. This initiative aims to spotlight emerging talent rooted in indigenous African musical forms and provide a major platform for the next generation of cultural practitioners.
· Competition details: www.thandiswa.com/sankofa-festival
· Deadline for entries: 31 January 2026
· Winners announced: 11 February 2026
The Sankofa Heritage Festival is dedicated to celebrating indigenous African music and artistic expression. Inspired by the concept of Sankofa — meaning “to go back and fetch it” — the festival bridges the past, present, and future through sound, storytelling, and shared cultural memory.
This inaugural edition has been made possible with the support of the Department of Sports Arts and Culture’s Mzansi Golden Economy Initiative.
Event: Sankofa Heritage Festival
Date: Saturday, 28 February 2026, 6 pm onwards
Venue: Big Top Arena, Carnival City, Johannesburg
Ticket link: here
Website: Here
Instagram and Twitter: @thandiswamazwai
Facebook and TikTok: @thandiswamazwaiofficial
All platforms: @sankofaheritagefest
![CTT Beats, Flash Ikumkani, Hannah V – UNDITHWELE [ Official Video]](https://dalakreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/126e2320-6774-67b8-c0d0-6e9f02af4d58.jpg)
