Hello Summer 26’ opens outdoor festival season

Windhoek is set to welcome a new summer festival, with the first edition of the Hello Summer Festival taking place on 3 October at the Eros Primary School field.

The festival was created by four young creatives: chief executive Tawananyasha Mutizwa, operations manager Marion Jones Haiduwa, marketer Hilma Awene and production manager Simpson Nevonga.

The creatives said the idea for Hello Summer was conceptualised last year, but the team only decided to bring it to life this year.

In an interview with tjil, the organisers said they felt there were not enough summer events in Namibia and wanted to create one that would go beyond music by incorporating fashion, food and culture for the youth.

South African DJ and production duo Mellow and Sleazy will headline the festival.

Explaining the choice of headliners, the organisers said: "Mellow and Sleazy have never been here, so they were the best choice. People can expect a wonderful set of all their hits."

The organisers also confirmed that the festival will feature a local line-up of artists and that food and drinks will be available.

Crowd pleaser

Among the confirmed performers is 23-year-old amapiano DJ Kandy, who told tjil that she plans to bring an energetic and enjoyable vibe.

“Hello Summer is about enjoying yourself, being outside and creating memories, so I want my set to reflect exactly that," Kandy said.

She said when preparing for a performance, she takes the audience and atmosphere of each event into consideration.

“I think about the type of crowd I’ll be playing for, the kind of event it is and how I want the energy to build throughout my set," she explained.

"I also make sure I’m familiar with my music and have a few different directions I can take depending on how the crowd responds," she added.

For Kandy, the main goal is to ensure that the audience has a memorable experience.

“At the end of the day, I want people to dance, have fun and leave feeling like they experienced something."

Wish list comes true

Hip-hop artist Wenii 292 is also set to take the stage, and said fans can expect new material during his performance.

"Fans can expect new music to be performed that has been released but not performed yet and also a few new songs from my EP Twenty-Four that is to be released on the 24th of September."

Wenii 292 said being part of the festival is an opportunity to introduce his music to a wider audience.

“⁠Hello Summer has been on my wish list since I saw they're bringing Mellow and Sleazy, and now that I'm on it, it's more of an opportunity to showcase my talent and music for those who don’t know me yet."

He also revealed that he is particularly looking forward to performing Zama by Mshizo ft Me and Djy Bobo.

“I’m high-key looking forward to performing Zama by Mshizo ft Me and Djy Bobo, as I feel the sound quite fits the aura of the event at the season of the year."

With music, food, fashion and culture forming part of the festival’s offering, the organisers said they hope Hello Summer will become a recurring event on Namibia’s entertainment calendar.

“Hello Summer is set for greater success, and we see it being an annual thing," they told tjil.

Tickets are N$100 and are available through Webtickets.