Bradford 2025 has announced the lineup for the first-ever European edition of the premier Pan-African music festival, Blankets & Wine, which will take place in Lister Park on Saturday, 6 September. Tickets for the event are on sale now. The lineup features a blend of Kenyan and UK talent, including Grammy-winner Bensoul, Boutross, Njerae, Blinky Bill, and the festival’s founder, Muthoni Drummer Queen.
The one-day festival marks the internationally renowned Kenyan event’s first venture outside of the African continent in its 16-year history. Presented as part of Bradford’s landmark year as UK City of Culture and in partnership with the British Council, the event will bring its signature fusion of live African music, fashion, and food to a European audience across two stages. The bill is rounded out by Coster Ojwang, Elsy Wameyo, Euggy, Tina Ardor, DJ Remmy, and Bradford’s own Dipak Mistry and Mista ER.
Muthoni Drummer Queen, Creative Director of Blankets & Wine, said: “Over the last 16 years, Blankets & Wine has championed live & electronic artists from Africa and its diaspora, and built a community of music, culture and lifestyle enthusiasts. We are excited to bring the festival to Bradford to interact with new audiences and are looking forward to fostering lasting relationships between East Africa and UK music, festival and cultural scenes.”
Read the official press release in full below:
Bradford 2025 to host internationally renowned African music festival Blankets & Wine this September.
As part of its landmark year as UK City of Culture, Bradford 2025 has today announced the line up for the first edition of premier Pan-African music festival Blankets and Wine to be held outside of the African continent.
Taking place on Saturday 6 September Blankets & Wine UK is presented in partnership with the British Council as part of their UK/Kenya Season 2025. A mainstay of the Kenyan dance music scene for 16 years, Blankets & Wine will make its international debut in Bradford’s Lister Park, bringing its signature fusion of African music, fashion, food, and lifestyle to European audiences for the very first time.
Set across two stages, the festival will feature a line-up of both emerging and established artists from Kenyan heritage alongside homegrown Bradford talent. The festival and partnership underscores Bradford 2025’s commitment to championing artistic collaboration, cultural exchange, and celebrating Bradford’s diverse communities.
The line up announced today includes:
Bensoul: Grammy award winning singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. Known for his soulful melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and genre-defying artistry, he effortlessly blends afro-pop, R&B, and reggae influences into his music.
Boutross: A major force in the East Africa, who has performed in various countries such as the UK. He is known for being a leading force in Shrap (a unique fusion of trap and Kenyan slang), the rapper and producer is also known for experimenting with afrobeat and dancehall on his recent album Mtindo and has collaborated with UK artists Backroad Gee and OGD (NSG).
Njerae: A rising Kenyan singer, songwriter, and producer whose music is a captivating blend of afro-indie, soul, and R&B. Following the success of her debut album, Unintentional, she signed with Universal Music East Africa and has become a standout performer at major festivals.
Muthoni Drummer Queen or MDQ: Award winning, genre-bending, internationally collaborating and touring singer, rapper, and drummer whose sound fuses hip-hop, reggae/dancehall, and soul with electronic and traditional Kenyan drum patterns. As an acclaimed creative entrepreneur, she is the founder of the groundbreaking African festival Blankets & Wine and music sector skilling programme perFORM Music incubator.
Blinky Bill: Kenya’s leader of the alternative scene and internationally collaborating, producing and touring musician, producer, and DJ. His experimental style combines African influences with hip-hop, jazz and funk. A former member of the pioneering electronic collective Just A Band, Blinky has made a global impact with his solo work, including three acclaimed albums.
Coster Ojwang: A multi-talented creative whose art and music transcend boundaries and celebrates African culture. His music, deeply rooted in his Luo heritage, is a distinctive fusion of African rhythms and heartfelt storytelling which have earned him over 1.5 million global streams.
Elsy Wameyo: Award winning Kenyan Australian singer-songwriter, producer and rapper, who has quickly become a force in the music scene with her unique blend of soul-infused hip-hop and alt-R&B.
Euggy: A pioneer in the Kenyan electronic music scene known for his dynamic and immersive sets. Euggy is a co-founder of the Gondwana KE record label and the iconic Gondwana Parties in Nairobi, which have become a premier destination for electronic music in East Africa.
Tina Ardor: A Kenyan singer, songwriter, DJ, and composer known for her high-energy hybrid sets that blend DJing with live vocal performance. Drawing inspiration from the cultural diversity of Kenya, she is celebrated for her ability to incorporate local dialects into a modern fusion of Afro-rhythmic melodies and beats.
DJ Remmy: A Kenyan DJ known for his electrifying sets that bring together a signature blend of afrobeat, Amapiano, dancehall and hip-hop. His performances, often featuring live percussionists, are a celebration of good vibes and non-stop dancing.
Dipak Mistry aka Mistryllaneous: A selector, broadcaster and a proud son of Bradford with Gujarati-Kenyan roots. A key member of the DisOriental and No Hands Collective, he has been an influential figure in the Bradford arts and music scene for over two decades. His sets are a vibrant journey through genres, from old-school Bollywood and afrobeat to funk, soul, and reggae.
Mista ER: UK-based experienced open format DJ. He brings genre-defying blends that ignites dancefloors while seamlessly weaving between afrobeats, hip hop, dancehall, ragga, reggae, RnB, house, techno and Kenyan music.
Shanaz Gulzar, Bradford 2025 Creative Director, says: “We’re thrilled that Kenyan based Blankets & Wine are coming to the UK, to bring their first ever European show to Bradford during our UK City of Culture year. Thanks to our partnership with the British Council, we’re creating opportunities for local and international artists to collaborate. Blankets & Wine will be a joyous celebration of music and culture, bringing the vibrant and eclectic Kenyan music scene to audiences in Bradford this September.”
Muthoni Drummer Queen, Creative Director of Blankets & Wine, says: “Over the last 16 years, Blankets & Wine has championed live & electronic artists from Africa and its diaspora, and built a community of music, culture and lifestyle enthusiasts. We are excited to bring the festival to Bradford to interact with new audiences and are looking forward to fostering lasting relationships between East Africa and UK music, festival and cultural scenes.”
Director of Arts at the British Council, Ruth Mackenzie said “At the British Council, we work alongside artists, creatives, and partners to bring international collaborations to life – linking Bradford City of Culture with countries such as Pakistan, Poland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Sarajevo, Kenya, Ghana, and Togo. We are proud to support Blankets & Wine UK is part of our UK/Kenya Season, which celebrates the creative energy of both nations and builds stronger, lasting connections between them.”
Blankets & Wine UK has been made possible with support from the British Council; international partner for Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. They are supporting eleven projects throughout the year, enabling artists to work internationally and create new networks and cultural exchanges.
Tickets are available now from Bradford 2025.
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