Festival goers from around the world will be descending on the palm fringed shores of Lake Malawi for the Lake of Stars Festival, Malawi’s award winning annual international arts festival. And with the excitement building, the festival organisers have announced the final acts completing the line-up, including a huge headliner in the form of UK soul legend Beverley Knight!
The festival will feature over 80 acts including the Kenya’s Dan ‘Chizi’ Aceda as well the best in Malawian music from Black Missionaries and Lucius Banda, African legends Freshlyground, and the award winning UK act Foals. With artists from a record breaking 12 countries, this year’s event reinforces Lake of Stars’ reputation as a truly global, naturally Malawian event.
Speaking from the festival site on Lake Malawi, festival founder Will Jameson said: “There’s a massive buzz around the festival this year. We had two great pre parties in Malawi last weekend which gave everyone a taste of what’s in store. Tickets are flying out of the door here in Malawi - and across the world - and epic roadtrips are being organised from as far as Kenya and South Africa by fans desperate to see their favourite bands play in the Warm Heart of Africa!”
Announcing the latest headline act, Jameson said: “I’m so excited that Beverley Knight, UK soul legend and Christian Aid ambassador, will be playing at Lake of Stars while she is in Malawi visiting Christian Aid HIV projects. Part of what makes Lake of Stars so special is the opportunity provided for unique artist collaborations, and seeing Beverley sing with musicians from Malawian band Mafilika is going to be truly spectacular!”
Mista Jam“This really is shaping up to be our best and most diverse line-up to date with everything from chart topping international bands to Malawian DJs to Japanese drummers to Rwandan inanga players and absolutely everything in between. “
The festival site is looking busy as local carpenters construct the three stages, and equipment and volunteers begin to arrive. And with the weather forecast predicting it will be a sunny 30 degrees Celsius, the stage is almost set for the world’s most stunningly located festival.
Jameson added: “The festival was borne from a desire to raise money for a developing economy, promote Malawi as a top travel destination and expose Malawian artists to international crowds, as well as putting on an amazing event that now forms part of the global festival circuit.
“Last year the festival generated $1,000,000 of local spend with around a third being in foreign currency, over 100 local people were employed and more than 1000 hotel beds were slept in providing a major boost to local families and businesses.”
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