The Afro Nation Festival made a lively Stateside debut in Miami over Memorial Day weekend, taking place a the 40,000 capacity LoanDepot Park (formerly Marlins Park). With Burna Boy headlining day one and Wizkid taking the stage on day two, Afro Nation Miami had an unmistakable African essence, fusing afrobeats, amapiano, and reggae.
The festival featured two distinct stages: the Audiomack Amapiano stage, featuring eclectic South African sounds, and the MainStage, with afrobeats and reggae. Mavado, Shenseea and an array of other acts covered the dancehall and reggae genres, while afrobeat aficionados were spoilt for choices with Asake, Black Sherif, Rema, Fireboy DML and the charismatic Uncle Waffles (who is female), among others. The festival grounds buzzed with energy as African vendors sold mouthwatering delights and people danced with abandon.
Day one kicked off with a vibrant performance from newcomer Cuhdeejah on the Audiomack Amapiano stage. Backed by a troupe of dancers, the Sierra Leonean-American singer unleashed her latest collaboration with none other than Snoop Dogg, “Bad Mama Jama.” Acknowledging that many in the crowd were discovering her music for the first time, Cuhdeejah told Variety after her performance, “It made me feel profoundly blessed — to have the power to captivate and move people with my words is an extraordinary gift.”
Later in the day, 21-year-old Ghanaian highlife singer Black Sherif lit up the main stage with songs like his debut single, “First Sermon,” the sequel, “Second Sermon,” and an array of fan favorites like “Kwaku the Traveller.” After the set, Black Sherif marveled, “Moments like this feel unreal, because a few short years ago only my household knew I could sing, and now I’m overseas and people are singing my lyrics back to me. I feel very proud to be choosing to be a part of the generation that’s changing the trajectory of the culture.”
As day one continued, Asake performed a set packed with jazzy versions of his songs and multiple singalongs. He also teased his new album “Work of Art” (out June 16), and features Olamide on the track “Amapiano.” Back at the Audiomack Amapiano stage, South African DJ Uncle Waffles brought out a massive crowd with her Boiler Room-esque set, which saw her leaving the DJ booth several times to perform intricate choreography with her legion of dancers.
Wizkid (Photo: Kenneth Dapaah)
Burna Boy brought day one to an explosive close, delivering a high-octane set filled with bangers and hits like “Ye,” “On the Low,” and “Last Last.” The set, which was a condensed version of his “Love, Damini” tour, included a display of camaraderie as he welcomed Black Sherif back to the MainStage for a performance of their remix of “Second Sermon.” The synergy between the two artists was palpable, evoking an “older brother/younger brother” moment.
Day two kept the energy level high with strong sets from Shenseea, Rema, Fireboy DML, and Major League DJz. Rema, who is currently achieving global success with his single, “Calm Down” (featuring Selena Gomez, currently No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100) closed out his set with the track, with fans loudly singing along with every line.
Finally, Wizkid closed out the festival with a rousing set and an eye-popping stage production. Emerging from a digital LED structure resembling a towering brownstone apartment, Wizkid peeled off hit after hit like “Ojuelegba,” “Essence,” and “Mood,” mesmerizing the crowd, and brought out his friend and fellow Afro Nation performer, Bnxn.
Later this year, Afro Nation will move to its next destination, Detroit, on August 19-20, before embarking on a triumphant return to Ghana in December.
