The Festival

Sauti za Busara is East Africa’s premier music festival, held annually in February in the historic Stone Town of Zanzibar, Tanzania. Celebrated for its vibrant atmosphere and diverse musical programming, in 21 editions the festival featured over 460 bands from more than 60 countries, spanning genres from Traditional Taarab, Jazz, Bongo Fleva, Kidumbaki, Afrobeats, Singeli, Urban Music, AfroFusion, Spoken Word to Reggae, Hip-Hop and Electronica. Here a just few of the artists featured in the past:

Rated by the BBC World Service as “One of Africa’s best and most respected music events”, Sauti za Busara is transcending the barriers of traditional and contemporary music, giving a platform to the most promising talents from the African continent and it’s diaspora, whilst spreading positive messages for social change, peace, love and unity. Over 360,000 people have attended the festival since its inception in 2004 and created lasting memories, met friends, lovers and ignited their spirits with the magical force of live music.

We are thrilled to have you join us for what promises to be a memorable experience. Every note, every beat, and every moment of this festival is curated with love for music and the joy of seeing people from all over the world come to Zanzibar to celebrate diversity, unity and togetherness. Our dedicated team is working tirelessly to bring you a lineup that is both diverse and dazzling, featuring artists from across the African continent and it’s diaspora, ready to set the stage alight.

From the meticulous planning of all the intricate details, every aspect of Sauti za Busara has been designed to ensure you have an experience of a lifetime, fully diving into the beauty of instruments, voices, rhythms and sounds you might have never heard before. Your passion for music and culture is the heartbeat of this festival, it’s your energy and enthusiasm that drive us to create something extraordinary each year.

In the last edition, the BlackRhinoVR team with the support from Goethe Institute Dar es Salaam, came from Kenya to capture the spirit of the festival in a 360 immersive video. Put on your VR Headset or tune in with your other devices to get a glimpse of the event happening every second week in February in Zanzibar.

Thank you for being the reason we do what we do. Your presence, support and happy faces make all the hard work worthwhile. Get ready to immerse yourself in the rhythms, embrace the vibrant atmosphere, and celebrate the magic of music with us. This festival is for you, and we can’t wait to share it with you!

Welcome to the celebration of a lifetime. Welcome to Sauti za Busara!