Mosi Day of Thunder attracts thousands of Zambian music lovers

Local stars Jay Rox, B’Flow, Bobby East, Pompi, Wezi, K.R.I.T.I.C., Abel Chungu, Drimz, Chester and Chims K headlined the show along with legendary South African rapper Cassper Nyovest. Other performers included DJ Blocks, Sebastian Dutch and Psycho Tash, the Mutende Culture Ensemble and Bittersweet Poets.

The Mosi Day of Thunder combined the cream of musical talent with the vibe of the nation's tourism capital and iconic Mosi-o-Tunya (Victoria) Falls to celebrate the best of the country's culture. The event attracted fans from across the country, with large numbers travelling from Lusaka and taking the opportunity to stay on and enjoy the city over the May Day long weekend.

Many of the performers were drawn from the winners of last week's Mosi Lager Zambian Music Awards (ZMA), while the Day of Thunder itself saw the presentation of the awards’ final category: Song of the Year, which was won by Roberto for ‘Amarulah’. Roberto was in Namibia over the same weekend for the Namibia Annual Music Awards (NAMA), where he was named Pan−African Artist of the Year and also performed live at the ceremony in Windhoek.

The Day of Thunder began at around 1pm and ran into the early hours of Sunday morning. It created an unparalleled platform where musicians, celebrated club and radio DJs and music enthusiasts teamed up to express their love for music. The event reached an earth-shaking crescendo when Cassper Nyovest took to the stage, leaving fans begging for more.

"We are excited by the overwhelming success of the Mosi Day of Thunder festival," said Annabelle Degroot, Managing Director of sponsor Zambia Breweries. “This event showcased chart-topping acts with their unique mix of music. The turnout was far beyond our expectations and we are glad that as Zambian Breweries, we could play our part in furthering the development of music in Zambia. We would like to thank the fans, musicians and support staff, along with the people of Livingstone for hosting us and making this event a spectacular success.

“The Mosi Day of Thunder brought together two exceptional aspects of being Zambian: our music and the Mosi-o-Tunya Falls. They are part of our heritage. In that sense, the Mosi ZMAs and the Mosi Day of Thunder are a celebration of the Zambian experience,” added Degroot.

In support of the event, Zambia’s Ministry of Tourism and Arts opened up access to the Victoria Falls for free for all festival-goers as part of their ongoing efforts to promote domestic tourism.