Many thanks to the sponsors of this event
Habari Africa Virtual Festival 2021
August 13 – 27, 2021 Daily 8PM
Join us on YouTube for a dance, a listen and a chat.
Toronto’s still under restrictions that make planning large live events highly unpredictable. But we refuse to give up our goal of bringing together artists and audiences for fantastic experiences. So we’re back online this year with more great concerts.
Subscribe to our YouTube.com/BatukiMusic channel to get the notifications for all concerts. Set your smart tv, roku, computer, laptop, tablet, phone or any device to YouTube.com/BatukiMusic and dance with us.
Friday August 13, 2021
Lorraine Klaasen
Lorraine Klaasen, the daughter of legendary South African jazz singer Thandie Klaasen, is one of the few South African artists who have preserved the classic sound of ‘Township Music', which continues to be the most distinctive sound to come out of South Africa.
Adama Daou
A Malian musician from the city of Mopti, Adama Daou developed his skills in African percussions (djembe, dundun, calebasse and balafon) starting in childhood, when he took part in traditional ceremonies.
Saturday August 14, 2021
Mis Blandine & The Caza Jazz Band
Blandine is a singer and songwriter from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Her music encompasses traditional Congolese rumba, soukous, mutuashi, jazz and Afrobeat.
Della Hayes & Women of Colour Band
Della Hayes & Women of Colour is an all-female group formed to promote Ghanaian music, both at home and abroad, the group has gained recognition throughout Ghana, the West African sub-region and Europe.
Sunday August 15, 2021
Kora Trio
Kora Trio features Diely Mori Tounkara, Sadio Sissokho and Estelle Lavoie, these three artists unite around the kora instrument to create a sound that contains Africa’s story of yesterday, today and tomorrow, a captivating expression of griot wisdom.
Monday August 16, 2021
Alpha Rhythm Roots
Alpha Rhythm Roots founder and artistic director Alpha in collaboration with Derek Thorne and Walter Mclean, bring the music, dance, traditions and culture of Guinea to the world.
Dieufaite Charles
Dieufaite Charles is a singer, guitarist, percussionist and arranger, his music mixes Afro-fusion and traditional Racines rhythms of his native Haiti.
Tuesday August 17, 2021
Black Stars
Black Stars is a coalition of Afro-influenced dancers, formed in 2012 under the visionary direction of Esie Mensah. Through dance they share their knowledge and strengthen the recognition of AfroFusion dance internationally.
Gloria Gift Nankunda
Gloria Gift Nankunda’s music is a delightful fusion of melody and story, rooted in tales derived from her rich Ankole heritage meshed with her life experiences both in Uganda and Canada.
Wednesday August 18, 2021
Izimba Arts
IZimba Arts is a collective of African performing artists who pursue art as an instrument for community engagement. The group specializes in performances that include high-energy traditional and urban dances from Southern Africa.
Donné Roberts
Donné Roberts is a guitarist, singer and songwriter that fuses folk, funk, blues and rock into irresistibly danceable music that reflect his roots in Madagascar, Russia and Canada.
Thursday August 19, 2021
Donald Dogbo
Drummer, percussionist and musical arranger, Donald Dogbo has sought to further develop the marriage between the traditional rhythms of Central Africa, West Africa, Jazz and fusion influenced by his musical and cultural encounters from Africa until his arrival here in Quebec.
Naxx Bitota
Naxx Bitota is a singer and songwriter, whose musical repertoire includes folkloric, traditional and popular music of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Friday August 20, 2021
Joyce N'sana
Joyce N’sana is the voice of Afrobluehop, a tasty mix of Afro-blues, reggae and hip-hop. The songwriter-performer grew in the Congolese civil war context. She delivers a clear and determined message; she spreads an art of peace.
Lionel Kizaba
Lionel Kizaba, ambassador of Afro electro Congolese music. Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, he offers a musically rich mixture of electronic music and traditional sounds of the Congo, creating an Afro-Futuristic world.
Saturday August 21, 2021
Mighty Popo
As much as Mighty Popo inherited a love of the traditional music of Rwanda and Burundi, he also has a lifelong connection with rock, blues, jazz, R&B, reggae and folk traditions.
Mamy Kanouté
Mamy Kanoute was born into a family of Senegalese griots, the famed singers and musicians who constitute a repository of West African oral tradition, history and culture. She has collaborated regularly with music legends, including her mentor Baaba Maal, Youssou N’dour, Omar Pene and Didier Awadi.
Sunday August 22, 2021
Mariaa Siga
Mariaa Siga is a guitarist, singer and songwriter from Senegal. Already accustomed to the traditional Diola rhythms of her native Casamance, her curiosity led her to discover new music styles such as, folk, blues, roots-reggae and jazz, which are fused with African sounds.
Mamoutou Dembélé
Mamoutou Dembélé, known musically as EMDE, was born into a family of musicians and storytellers in Sikasso, Mali. He created his own instrument, the bahouinou (a man’s strings) that resembles a cross between a kora and a kamele ngoni.