Swaziland's Bushfire unites Africa through music

MPHO TLALE
Staff Writer | Wednesday May 29, 2013 00:00

A yearly event, Bushfire is Swaziland's international music and arts festival that is hosted at House on Fire at the Ezulwini Valley.Founded in 2006,the festival is in its eighth year running and this year the three-day event will kick off on Friday (31st) up to Sunday (June 2).Bushfire has managed to unite Africa and the rest of the world through music.Botswana's Tumediso Loeto, known by stage name Shanti Lo, was among acts that performed at the festival in 2011. Other artists included South Africa's Caiphus Semenya, Mali's Habib Kote and Yale Concert Band from the United States of America (US).

In a brief interview with Showbiz, South African based Red Flag head of public relations Jani Roodt said that people should expect good music, art and a whole new adventure.She said that she has been dealing with media requests to cover the event and so far there are about 20 media houses that will be coming for the event. She said, 'We are expecting media from Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, Spain and the UK, among others.'This means that there will also be other independent people coming from these countries.

This year the line-up includes international artists from as far as the French speaking Reunion Islands and Colombia in the forms of Nathalie Natiembe and Bomba Estereo. With her energy on stage, Natiemebe is nicknamed 'Little punk of Maloya'. Maloya is one of Reunion's major music genres. The Colombian Bomba Estereo on the other hand are expected to dish out their electro tropical sounds.Other artist billed to perform will come from Niger, Ghana, Switzerland, Spain, Austria, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland's very own artists and DJs.