Raw tribal power from Ghana and a mesmerising artist from Senegal will complete the main stage lineup for this year’s Africa Oyé festival.
King Ayisoba (Ghana) and Oumy (Senegal) will complement the international talent already announced for Africa Oyé’s 2026 festival, with artists from across the continent of Africa, the Caribbean and the wider Diaspora coming together for an incredible celebration of music and culture.
King Ayisoba
King Ayisoba’s performances are full of raw tribal power. Rhythms and frenzied dancing mingle with Ayisoba’s distinctive voice – shattering musical codes in a piercing energy. An incredible range of deep and loud nasal cries contracts with soft and high vocals, all accompanied by his kologo.
Hailing from a rural area in the far north of Ghana, and descending from a Frafra hunting tribe, King Ayisoba offers a universe where the spirit world merges with the painful origins of Kologo music, mystical forests and concrete cracked Accra – the cries of a rebellious youth who is still seeking his identity. Bringing the traditional and modern together – while addressing personal, social and political issues that he believes need attention and change – King Ayisoba sounds like no other.
Supported by his band of Frafra musicians, expect mesmerising and infectious beats, high energy dances and singing, resulting in a captivating stage performance – with rhythms going straight to the heart.
Oumy
An award-winning singer-songwriter and rapper, Oumy is one of Senegal’s most authentic global cultural figures. Her music blends the raw power of hip-hop with the elegance of African R&B and the energy of global pop – creating songs that transcend languages and generations, all topped with her mesmerising voice.
Born in Rufisque, a former colonial town in the Dakar region, Oumy is of Lebou heritage and has been deeply influenced by the cultural richness of Bargny, where she grew up. More than just an artist, Oumy is an influential ambassador who uses her art to support important causes. She is the founder of FEM’ART and created the 48H DE BARGNY festival – an annual musical and social event aiming to provide solutions and training for young people and women, contributing to the development of her community.
Headlining the festival are Grammy-nominated Afrofuturist chanteuse Fatoumata Diawara (Mali), a frequent collaborator of Damon Albarn and his Africa Express projects, and trailblazing Nigerian Afrobeats star Patoranking, who has spent over a decade shaping the genre’s global identity, with hits like “My Woman, My Everything” and “Babylon”.
They are joined by…
- British-born Reggae icon Janet Kay who’s number 2 charting 1979 single Silly Games introduced the world to the sound of Lovers Rock.
- The legendary Ghorwane (Mozambique), who celebrate 40 years of magical and original music since their formation in the 1980s. The emblematic band’s thought provoking social commentary has inspired the lives of several generations.
- Visually arresting eco-punks Fulu Miziki (DR Congo) whose unique sound supports a pan-African message of artistic liberation, peace and an uncompromising look at the ecological situation of the DRC – and the whole world.
- The transcendent Nana Benz Du Togo – an electrifying five-piece whose live shows are nothing short of spiritual – voodoo rhythms are fused with electro-soul, built for the dancefloor.
- Trinidad’s Kobo Town reimagine Calypso, and bring an intoxicating blend of dancehall-reggae, trombone-heavy brass and lilting wit.
- The Awale Jant Band (Senegal / France), whose music pulses with sabar-driven grooves, hypnotic basslines, intricate guitar melodies, and call-and-response vocals – echoing the communal spirit of West African performance.
- Completing the international live music program is Afrofuturist-electro pioneer Kizaba (DR Congo) – whose ancestral vocals meet the vibrant sounds of Congolese soukous and Afrobeat.
- Between the live music two of the UK’s biggest names in African and Caribbean music grace the Oye stage – BBC1 Xtra heavyweights DJ Edu and Seani B.
The Africa Oyé Festival takes place on 20th and 21st June in Liverpool’s Sefton Park. Tickets are available now for both days via TicketQuarter at africaoye.com.