Nyashinski, Okello Max to headline the Blankets and Wine festival
Legendary musician Nyashinski and singer Okello Max are among a host of Kenyan artistes set to perform at the first edition of the 2023 Blankets and Wine festival set for April 2, 2023.
The festival will take place at the Laueate Garden in Moi International Sports Center located in Kasarani, Nairobi County.
“We polled our audience base and the results are undeniable; our people have demanded an all-Kenyan line up.” said Muthoni the Drummer Queen, the Festival’s founder, creative entrepreneur and musician.
In addition to Nyashinski, a beloved live performer, and Okello Max, other artistes will be Les Wanyika, Boutross, Nviiri the Storyteller, Xenia Manasseh, Lisa Oduor and Kinoti.
“We have reached a good place as a festival as an organization because of the impact we have had. We hope to use our platform to bring attention to the strides that Kenyan artist have made.” added Muthoni the Drummer Queen.
Other editions of the festival will be held on 2nd July, 1st October and 17th December 2023.
The Blankets and Wine Festival was founded 15 years ago and became a celebrated event and cultural institution in Nairobi. It is a festival that brings music, food, art and fashion lovers together; and has since gone international.
“The music festival has a running edition in Uganda with others being held in Rwanda. Continuously curating great experiences for its audiences, the festival has grown to deliver international standards to give the most value and give the artists, vendors and audience the best experience,” read a statement from the festival’s organizers.
The Blankets and Wine Festival premiered a mid-week party last year and was dubbed ‘Kenyan Summer II’ because it defied entertainment norms and demonstrated the confidence a section of Kenyans placed on the brand. The event organizers began hosting the event at the Stadium, a new venue away from the sometimes high end locations it used to set up in.
Following a prolonged disruption by the covid-19 pandemic that occasioned the shutting down of activities in the country, the return of the event attracted thousands of revelers and continues to be a must-attend event for many.
Kenyan rapper and singer Nyashinski became famous as a member of the influential, award-winning hip-hop trio Kleptomaniax before successfully launching his solo career during the 2010s. Performing in a style called kapuka, blending rap with dance-pop, the trio became highly popular, winning accolades from the Chat Awards and Kisima Music. The success of his concert franchise, Shine City, has cemented him as a legendary Kenyan performer.
A signee of the Sol Generation, Okello Max is a famous Kenyan singer and songwriter. He came to the limelight in 2019 when he featured as a background singer in Sauti Sol’s hit song Extravaganza. The same year he released his debut single titled Kiss, which became an instant hit. Since then, he has released several other tracks, including Nakufa, Amezaliwa, and Rhumba Japani.
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