In the organizer's words:

Bongeziwe Mabandla

Presented by Emerged Agency
08.04.2026 Cologne, Yuca Club
Admission: 19:00 hrs | Start: 20:00 hrs

Bongeziwe Mabandla is a multi-award-winning artist and one of the most fascinating voices redefining African music today. With four highly acclaimed albums - Umlilo, Mangaliso, iimini and amaXesha - he has won numerous awards, including two South African Music Awards for Best Alternative Music Album, a Feather Award for Musician of the Year and a Metro FM Award for Best African Pop.

His most recent album, amaXesha, was named Global Album of the Month by The Guardian, which praised it as "a deeply moving work that transcends language and borders". In 2023, his COLORS performance brought his soulful sound to a global audience and further cemented his reputation as an artist with a unique ability to connect through music.

In 2024, Mabandla embarked on a sold-out world tour with amaXesha, with memorable performances in London, Paris, New York, Berlin, Mexico City and more. Known for his intimate and emotionally charged live shows, he brings raw honesty and magnetic energy to every stage, leaving audiences spellbound. Over the years, he has performed at prestigious festivals and stages worldwide, including the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, WOMEX (Finland), Reeperbahn Festival (Germany), Lake of Stars (Malawi), Afrovibes Festival (Netherlands), Oslo World Festival (Norway) and six editions of the Sakifo Music Festival in Réunion.

In early 2025, he released amaXesha Remixes, a reinterpretation of fan favorites from his fourth album. The project brought together a dynamic mix of local and international producers who energized the originals - interweaving his sound with Afrotech, Afrohouse and other electronic elements, expanding his sonic universe while remaining rooted in emotional depth.

His influence extends beyond music, with fashion collaborations alongside Thebe Magugu, Nao Serati and up-and-coming designer Gugu by Gugu.

Bongeziwe Mabandla continues to forge his own path, effortlessly combining innovation with soul and creating works that resonate far beyond borders or language.