AfroFuture Detroit unveils first wave of festival acts: Davido, Kaytranada, more
An international array of artists will help create the musical tapestry this summer at the inaugural AfroFuture Detroit festival.
Organizers on Thursday announced the first wave of artists tapped for the event, which will run Aug. 16-17 at the Bedrock Detroit Douglass Site, just north of downtown.
Also unveiled Thursday were Nigerian gospel singer Flavour and rising Afrobeat artist Lojay, with Detroit rapper Tee Grizzley as the first hometown act named to the 2025 lineup.
Producers also revealed the first batch of DJs and party hosts to lead the action elsewhere on the AfroFuture grounds, including DBN Gogo, Juls, TxC, and DJ K-DAWG & EZ Pass, whose sets will fuse culture-spanning music with classic Detroit sounds.
The fest's main-stage artists will include Nigerian star Davido, Haitian-Canadian DJ Kaytranada, Brazilian pop singer Ludmilla and Congolese singer-rapper Gims.
AfroFuture was launched in Ghana in 2019 — then as Afrochella — setting out to celebrate African music's global diaspora.
The festival's U.S. debut comes this August at the Douglass Site in Detroit, where a previous fest brand, Afro Nation, was presented in 2023 and 2024. This year's event will feature two music stages, a designer marketplace and other amenities.
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'This summer in Detroit, we're creating something truly transformative — a celebration where every sense is engaged and every aspect of culture is elevated, AfroNation cofounder Abdul Karim Abdullah said in a statement.
A ticket presale launched Thursday, with general-admission passes starting at $99 and VIP packages at $199.
In anticipation of a visiting audience, organizers also announced lodging partnerships with the Roost Detroit at Block Tower and the Courtyard by Marriott Detroit Downtown, and an airline partnership with Delta that offers discounted flights.
AfroFuture Detroit is sponsored by Bedrock and produced by Paxahau, whose other events include the annual Movement electronic music festival at Hart Plaza.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: AfroFuture Detroit unveils wave of fest acts: Davido, Kaytranada, more
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Top 6 concerts this week in Sarasota, Bradenton, Englewood, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda
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RIP: 'Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo' rocker and former Sarasota resident Rick Derringer dies 75-plus things to do in June in Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Punta Gorda Ticket Newsletter: Sign up to receive restaurant news and reviews plus info on things to do every Friday Although Joyland is primarily associated with country music, the Sarasota area venue occasionally holds concerts by musicians from different genres, such as blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter Anthony Gomes, who will return there for another show Friday. Born in Toronto to a French-Canadian mother and Portuguese father, and now living in the St. Louis area, Gomes visits the venue shortly after releasing his latest album "Praise the Loud." 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