Sauti Sol set to headline Lilongwe’s Kumbali Live Music Concert

Grammy Award-winning Kenyan musician Bien-Aimé Alusa Baraza, best known as a member of Afro-pop sensation Sauti Sol, is set to headline this year’s Kumbali Live Music Concert in Lilongwe.

The star will take to the stage on 25 October, sharing the bill with Malawian artists Driemo, Praise Umali and Maggie Kadrum at the fourth edition of the popular event.

The concert is being bankrolled by Standard Bank Plc as part of its Joy of the Arts initiative, aimed at championing Malawi’s creative industries.

Standard Bank’s head of brand and marketing, Tamanda Ng’ombe, said the bank was proud to back the growing event.

‘The concert has earned its place on Malawi’s calendar and provides a bigger stage for local musicians to perform alongside international stars,’ she said. ‘Being the title sponsor reaffirms our commitment to supporting the creative industry and promoting music.’

Organisers have also promised a fresh twist for this year’s edition, with a second stage set to give lesser-known performers a rare shot at the spotlight.

Co-producer George Kalukusha said the additional stage would showcase background artists Sangwani Kaunda, Isabel King and Nathaniel Chaluchalu — talent that rarely gets the chance to perform in front of big crowds.

Event coordinator Ian D’heygere hailed the concert’s rise in stature, saying it had become a crucial platform for pairing Malawian musicians with international stars.

He credited Standard Bank’s backing as central to the event’s success, saying the bank’s financial support had been ‘instrumental’ in growing the concert into what it is today.