MUSIC PROGRAMME

Inspired by the storytelling of Bon Iver, Paul Simon, Joseph Shabalala and Leonard Cohen Jabulani directed his own talent with the pen towards a project he named after his mother, Jabulile Majola. Through his writing, Jabulani explores his complex identity with tremendous vulnerability and a voice that carries a depth of emotion matched only by his poignant lyricism. Folksy, lyrical and moving storytelling through song and music.

Kujenga is an afro-jazz band that features Owethu Ndwandwe on lead vocals and keys, twin brother Zwide Ndwandwe on bass, Thane Smith on electric guitar and Skhumbuzo Qamata on drums. Kujenga’s music blends various genres from the African diaspora, with Black improvisational music as the core of the band’s sound.

THE NALA Collective showcases contemporary South African jazz, featuring compositions by female artists. The band strives to uplift women in the jazz community and establish their presence on stage as the norm. With a full, dynamic sound, expect soulful grooves, lush horns, and beautiful vocal harmonies.

The award-winning Opera UCT, headed by the world-renowned conductor Jeremy Silver, will present a series of arias tailored to the HEAT Festival's Other Worlding theme. The supremely talented singers in this company will blow audiences away with their operatic talent. 

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​Dreams and Desires invites us into a world where yearning meets imagination, where the boundaries between hope and reality blur. Through music that navigates night-long longing, restless ambition, and the search for belonging, the concert explores the emotional landscapes we often dare only to dream. 

The award-winning Opera UCT, headed by the world-renowned conductor Jeremy Silver, will present a series of arias tailored to the HEAT Festival's Other Worlding theme. The supremely talented singers in this company will blow audiences away with their operatic talent. 

​

​Dreams and Desires invites us into a world where yearning meets imagination, where the boundaries between hope and reality blur. Through music that navigates night-long longing, restless ambition, and the search for belonging, the concert explores the emotional landscapes we often dare only to dream. 

This is an art and music pairing that will heighten appreciation of the artworks in the Motherhood: Paradox and Duality exhibition, curated by Andrea Lewis. Lewis will be in conversation with some of the artists whose works are featured. This will be followed by the choral group Amici de Lumine. 

In an era of political instability, economic hardship, and global crises, the act of mothering -whether biological, chosen, or communal – has never been more critical or radical. This exhibition invites audiences to see caregiving as an act of resilience, love as a form of labour, and mothering as a political force that shapes and sustains societies. 

Yellow House juxtaposes the folk ideologies of reflective poetry with the ethereal nature of Dream Pop. Grounded by a rhythm section inspired by RnB and Hip Hop, these elements combine to create a distinct sonic spectrum. 

Maya Grey is a Cape Town-based folk musician whose work blends dreamy melodies with image-rich storytelling. Inspired by fairytales and the natural world, her music resonates with themes of nostalgia, mysticism, and magic in nature. Since 2023, Maya Grey has been slowly
emerging into the city’s folk music scene, putting on performances that invite listeners into a world that feels both timeless and deeply personal.

This is going to be a night to remember, featuring a stunning female line-up of artists who have been heating up the Cape Town music scene. If you haven't heard them before, now is your chance.

MANA is a South African-Peruvian vocalist and composer based in Cape Town. Her music is ethereal and vulnerable, reflecting her Latin heritage. Jazz vocalist Giulietta Price is part of a bold new wave of artists redefining what it means to create with authenticity, soul, and purpose. Mishy Kope is a Cape Town-based singer and songwriter. Her writing tells stories from her own personal life experiences and observed social issues. Her writing explores themes of hurt, loss, grief, hope and euphoria.

This will be an unforgettable meeting between the evocative art of Lucas Sithole and Cyprian Shilakoe and the versatile musician Sky Dladla who is renowned for her expertise in African instruments and indigenous music. 

This incredible event is set at the Norval Foundation, in the upstairs gallery where the exhibition titled They Came & Left Footprints, curated by Karel Nel and Carmen Joubert, is being staged.  Drawing from the Homestead and Bruce Campbell Smith Revisions Collections, the exhibition reflects on memory, ancestry, and the legacy of artists whose work remains powerfully relevant. Sithole and Shilakoe’s sculptures and prints speak to themes of loss, resilience, and spiritual connection during the Apartheid era—presented together in this curatorial pairing for the first time. 

Joubert will introduce the exhibition before Dladla begins her performance. This is not a seated event, after receiving a glass of wine, the audience is encouraged to roam the exhibition while appreciating the art and music.

LUUKHANYO is a dynamic South African rapper from Cape Town whose genre-blending sound fuses contemporary R&B, hip-hop, funk, and jazz. Emerging as one of the most compelling voices in South Africa’s alternative music scene, LUUKHANYO has earned acclaim for both his distinctive musical style and his magnetic stage presence. His performances at major festivals such as CottonFest, Smalltown Beat, Up the Creek, Feastival, and MTN Bushfire have showcased his ability
to captivate diverse audiences.

Kapula also known as Nyauist is a Zimbabwean sonically fearless Vinyl Selector, Dj and Sound artist based in Cape Town, South Africa. His
musical roots trace back to playing drums at his father’s church - an early spark that lit a deep, enduring love for sound and performance. His
sets are a nostalgic journey through time and space, in which he highlights, contrasts, intertwines and plays with the multiple ways in
which people and societies negotiate culture - from Samba, Cumbia Afro Funk, High Life, Funk Disco, House, AfroBeat to name a few. Kapula
has been instrumental in shaping innovative musical and curatorial projects across the continent.