THE 19th edition of the MTN Bushfire festival, set over the lush Malkerns Valley is weeks away, making its grand return from 29–31 May 2026 at the iconic House On Fire in eSwatini.
Music, art and activism will once again come alive through the festival’s inspiring call to action for positive social and environmental change, Bring Your Fire.
This year, MTN Bushfire invites Fire Starters from across the globe to connect in celebration of unity in diversity, social inclusion and tolerance. Blending family-friendly energy, creative expression and a strong commitment to sustainability, the festival promises an unforgettable three-day experience.
The first wave of this year’s line-up reflects MTN Bushfire’s signature eclectic and conscious identity expressed through its Pan-African and global programming, with artists representing 20 countries across Africa and around the world and reinforcing the festival’s international reach and cultural diversity.
The MTN Bushfire 2026 journey has only just begun, with more exciting announcements to follow.
Limited Tickets Available Online
MTN Bushfire is well on its way to selling out for the 14th year in a row. Golden Lounge tickets have officially sold out completely!
A limited number of Main Arena and Children’s tickets are currently available via www.bush-fire.com.
Ticket purchases can be made using a credit card or EFT. So, hurry and secure yours now!
A Long-Awaited Uncle Waffles Homecoming
Eswatini’s own global Amapiano superstar and DJ, Uncle Waffles, returns to the soil that shaped her for a long-awaited and deeply symbolic homecoming performance.
Renowned for her electrifying stage presence and distinctive creative direction, she transforms every set into a fully hypnotic experience, blending sound, movement, and visual storytelling.
A Special Tribute to Busi Mhlongo
A nostalgic tribute to the late Busi Mhlongo emerges as one of the most anticipated highlights of the 2026 programme. Featuring Buhlebendalo, Xolisa Dlamini, and Zawadi YaMungu (South Africa), the performance will honour one of Africa’s most iconic voices. Through a new generation of interpreters, her groundbreaking fusion of Zulu tradition, jazz, and Afro-soul will be powerfully reimagined to celebrate her enduring legacy and influence on global music.
This moment stands as a powerful cornerstone of the first artist reveal, anchoring a line-up that spans continents, genres, and generations.
A Multi-Disciplinary Line Up
MTN Bushfire’s unique, eclectic and deeply purposeful approach to programming sparks to life in a luminous tapestry of acts as the first wave of artists for the 2026 edition has been officially unveiled, setting the tone for another exhilarating chapter of the festival. From this moment, the multidisciplinary line-up for this year’s conscious celebration of music, arts and creative expression begins to unfold, burning brightly across its six stages and marking the beginning of a bold global journey into the 19th edition of MTN Bushfire.
London-based British septet, Kokoroko, will ignite the festival with their inimitable fusion of jazz, highlife, afrobeat, soul and Black diasporic music. Legendary Congolese group Jupiter & Okwess bring their explosive blend of Congolese funk, soukous, rock and Bofenia Rock, while Spain’s spellbinding Fillas de Cassandra will echo the fierce sounds of Galician oral tradition.
South African-Spanish, Yugen Blakrok, are set to deliver a genre-defying cinematic hip-hop experience. Mozambique’s, Radjha Ally, channels the ancestral rhythms of Nampula through Afro-jazz and storytelling, while South Africa is strongly represented by Kwaito legend, Kabelo aka Bouga Luv, chart-topping Amapiano star, Young Stunna, and the globally acclaimed Ndlovu Youth Choir, known for their signature harmonies and choreography.
Project Enthropy, the collaboration between Msaki & Jesse Clegg, offers deeply emotional, genreblending storytelling, while MTN Bushfire favourite, Guy Buttery joins forces with Dan Patlansky for a masterclass in blues and acoustic brilliance.
Expanding the global soundscape, Anna Sato (Japan) will reimagine Shimauta through jazz, R&B and global fusion rooted in Amami Ōshima tradition. Summer Pearl (United Kingdom) brings her blend of jazz, soul and alternative sound shaped by Jamaican and Grenadian heritage.
Klitsgras Drumming (South Africa) transforms rhythm into connection through interactive drum circles. Our multigenerational community of Fire Starters will get to participate in African percussion traditions. ESINAM (Ghana/Belgium) crafts immersive sonic journeys blending percussion, flute, vocals and electronic textures into spiritual, rhythmdriven compositions. Hope Masike (Zimbabwe) fuses mbira tradition with jazz and contemporary expression, continuing her acclaimed role as a cultural custodian.
Elena Shirin (Austria) moves between neo-soul, R&B and trip-hop with emotionally rich, internationally recognized soundscapes.
Ka-Tembe Connexion (Eswatini/Mozambique) will explore crossborder identity through mbira, percussion and collaborative storytelling. Milan Ring (Germany/Australia) delivers immersive alt-electronic pop and R&B through live looping innovation, and Wayne Snow (Nigeria/Belgium) pushes Afrofuturist boundaries with soul, jazz and cinematic alternative pop.
Affirming the festival’s proudly Swati identity, a remarkable line up of local talent will take their place on MTN Bushfire’s global stages. The ethereal Velemseni returns to the festival’s stage with her unmistakable sound and ethereal voice, while Afro House powerhouse Sibu Manzini will debut a special collaboration with the Ivula Masango Youth Choir and a range of regional musicians and vocalists.
Dancefloor favorite, !Sooks is set to deliver an emotive, euphoric set driven by signature native drums, and iYa’s genre-fluid storytelling is elevated through live trumpet (Itallo) and saxophone (ZwiLe), deepening her African jazz-infused
sound.
At the crossroads of culture, a rare encounter between Lindigo Family (Réunion Island) and Anna Sato (Japan) embodies the liberating power of music.
Adding visual and physical spectacle, Veranda Panda (South Africa) fuse electric violin, vocals and electronic production into high-energy performance, joined by their #VPDrumline, while Thakzin (South Africa) closes the sonic arc with his forward-thinking 3-Step sound, blending Amapiano, Afro house and deep electronic music into soul-stirring sets.
Beyond the music, an eclectic arts showcase awaits with sword swallowing, fire breathing Murray Molly from Ireland who holds a Guinness World Record for swallowing a sword for 13 minutes! South Africa’s The Cirk will adorn the festival arena once again with their eyecatching acrobatic displays, theatre showcases and visual poetry.
Also from South Africa is a family-friendly play, ‘How to Hold the World’ which will ignite our childlike wonder and take young Fire Starters on a magical adventure.
More programme reveals are on the horizon, stay tuned to MTN Bushfire’s social media channels as the 2026 line-up continues to unfold with thrilling new artist announcements.
As the MTN Bushfire festival draws closer, anticipation is building for one of Africa’s most renowned cultural gatherings.
Plan your trip and secure your tickets now before they sell out to avoid disappointment. For more information, visit www.bush-fire.com.
Image provided (SA’s chart-toppers Msaki and Jesse Clegg will show off their pedigree at the much-awaited MTNBushfire gong, eSwatini from May 29 to 31.)
