Ndlovu Youth Choir returns to Cape Town, Joburg with 2026 tour

Additional performances will take place on Friday at 7.30pm, at 3pm and 7.30pm, and Sunday at 2pm and 6pm. Johannesburg shows are scheduled for later in the year at Montecasino’s Teatro from 30 July to 2 August.

The choir has achieved sell-out tours every year since 2021, demonstrating its strong following in South Africa. Its international reach is also significant, with 4.5 million social media followers and over 750 million total video views across all platforms.

The Cape Town concerts, presented by Showtime Management in association with SmileFM, will feature a setlist of international hits and South African classics. One of the highlights will be the Choir’s isiZulu interpretation of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, added to their repertoire in 2024. Choir Director Ralf Schmitt described the process of obtaining rights for the song as unconventional.

“We are incredibly proud to share our uniquely African, isiZulu rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody,” Schmitt said. “Widely regarded as one of the greatest songs of all time, it has been a true privilege to reimagine what it might have sounded like had Freddie Mercury’s musical journey never left our beautiful continent of Africa. We are deeply grateful to Queen for granting us permission to create the first-ever commercially released translation of this iconic masterpiece.”

The 2026 setlist includes international songs such as Elton John’s Circle of Life, Aretha Franklin’s Respect, Puccini’s Nessun Dorma, Dolly Parton’s Jolene, and Toto’s Africa. Local music will feature prominently through medleys of South African, Amapiano and Ghoema styles, as well as classics from Vicky Sampson (African Dream), Mango Groove (Hellfire), Solomon Linda (Mbube), and Miriam Makeba (The Click Song and Pata Pata).

Tony Feldman of Showtime Management emphasised the Choir’s cultural significance: “The Ndlovu Youth Choir continues to inspire, performing magnificent tours for homegrown audiences while also sharing South African musical culture with the world. We’re incredibly excited for the Choir’s 2026 dates and the new audiences they’ll reach in Cape Town, Johannesburg and abroad.”

Schmitt also confirmed international engagements following the Artscape run, including an American tour and performances at the Afas Theatre and Amare Theatre in the Netherlands.

Tickets for the 2026 South African dates are on sale here and here.