Major Lazer Sound System to headline Malawi music festival Lake of Stars 15th Anniversary

After weeks of speculation on who will be the global headliner, Lake of Stars on Friday finally revealed that US electronic music act, Major Lazer Sound System will headline this year’s Lake of Stars Festival for the 15th anniversary scheduled for 28 to 30 September at Kabumba Hotel Resort in Salima.

Major Lazer Sound System

According to a statement made available to Nyasa Times, the trio’s headline set at Lake of Stars Festival is part of an African tour with performances in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda.

Composed of record producer Diplo, and DJs Jillionaire and Walshy Fire, Major Lazer’s unique sound mixes reggae with dancehall, reggaeton, soca, house and moombahton.

Major Lazer’s latest single Let Me Live, a collaboration with Rudimental featuring Anne-Marie and Mr Eazi, is an energetic dancehall-influenced number with accompanying music video filmed by South Africa’s Chris Saunders in Johannesburg.

The US act joins one of Africa’s hottest groups, Sauti Sol.

Hailing from Kenya, Sauti Sol, are a multiple award-winning Afro-Pop 4-piece who have attracted huge critical and commercial acclaim across the continent, including being crowned Best African Group at the AFRIMA Awards, MTV Africa Music Awards, Soundcity MTV Awards and the UK’s BEFFTA Awards.

Their track ‘Live and Die in Afrika’ was included in BBC Africa’s Top 10 tracks of 2015 and the album of the same name made Okay Africa’s Top 15 Albums. The band, whose music blends warm resonant pop with traditional Kenyan influences, will be performing a full live set at the internationally-renowned festival.

Commenting on the development, Lake of Stars Director Will Jameson said, “We are thrilled to host Major Lazer Soundsystem and Sauti Sol in Malawi for this year’s festival. Both acts will deliver amazing and energetic performances in our beautiful new setting right on the shores of Lake Malawi. Tickets and festival accommodation are selling out fast and with this new addition to the line up I’m sure it will be our best celebration of music and culture to date.”

Other international acts joining the festival bill include Love Ssega, a founding member of Clean Bandit whose new solo project channels a vibrant mix of New Wave, 80s hip-hop and NYC disco into smart modern pop; and UK-based Ghanaian rapper Kobi Onyame, who’s album “Gold” has recently been nominated for the 2018 Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award.

Poetry and spoken word will be represented by poet Hollie McNish who’s memoir “Nobody Told Me” won the Ted Hughes Award and whose poetry videos have attracted millions of views worldwide, alongside Scottish poet Michael Pedersen, a Robert Louis Stevenson Award winner and co-founder of the literary collective Neu! Reekie!

Representing Malawi on the festival bill is the self-styled Ghetto King Kongrapper Fredokiss, making his debut appearance at the festival.

Faith Mussa, Drew Moyo, Kim of Diamonds, Forus dance crew, Madalitso Band and George Kalukusha are among the other Malawian acts to feature on the line-up, alongside an eclectic mix of talent from the worlds of music, poetry, theatre and dance.

Previous festival headliners include Mafikizolo, Freshlyground, Young Fathers, Uhuru, Toya Delazy, Foals, Beverley Knight and Oliver Mtukudzi alongside Malawi’s leading artists.

Known as the Warm Heart of Africa, Malawi has been named as one of 2018’s must-see travel destinations by British Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Forbes, Rough Guide and Vice among others.

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