As a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19, in recent years, Fête de la Musique has been held in various locations around the city.
For the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fête de la Musique (FDLM) festival will be held in the same area of Johannesburg’s Victoria Yards.
The free music festival last took place in the same location in 2019, with the festival's six stages dotted around the New Town district, creating an authentic festival atmosphere.
Together Again
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken away the intimacy and convenience of being able to walk to all the stages without any hassle.
Due to the pandemic, the 2020 festival was cancelled, but it returned in 2021, with stages set up in various locations around the city. The 2021 edition took place in the spring season instead of June.
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“We wanted to bring the audience together to create a more inclusive musical experience and Vic Yards is the perfect venue for this – it's vibrant and full of energy, just like a Féte audience,” said Sophie Blay, cultural officer and deputy director at the French Institute of South Africa (Ifas). Citizen.
FDLM is a music festival organised by Ifas in collaboration with Total Energies Marketing South Africa.
The free concert takes place annually on Music Day on 21 June, but the day after, it will be held in Johannesburg for the 13th time.
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Celebrating Music
Fête de la Musique (French for “World Music Day”) began in France in 1982 and has since become a global phenomenon, celebrated in over 700 cities in 120 countries around the world for over 40 years.
Headlining this year are rap artist Stogie T, who will headline the Tiered Garden Stage, folk singer Munej on the Lower Precinct Stage and Lesotho-born vocalist Mare, who will headline the Western Courtyard Stage.
“The headliners are influenced by the diverse line-up selected this year. We have poets, rappers, Afropop and traditional artists performing across the various stages at the Vic Yard. As part of the diversity, the LGBTQIA+ community is also represented,” Boulet said.
The 12 selected performers include supporting acts Sun Xa Experiment, Xhanti Nokwali and Jae Nuune.
Since its inception in 2010, the festival has provided a vital platform for emerging talent on the South African stage.
This year, from a pool of 300 applications, 12 artists were awarded the right to take to the FDLM stage after a rigorous selection process conducted by a panel of renowned judges from the South African music industry.
“Each year we are impressed with the breadth of talent we receive from applicants. Our line-up reflects the vibrancy and diversity of South Africa's music scene and promises to be an unforgettable event celebrating local talent,” Boulet said.
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