MALKERNS – South African music legend Zola 7 gave Day 1 of the 8th Standard Bank Luju Food and Lifestyle Festival a masterclass in nostalgia, energy and crowd love on Saturday night.
From the moment he stepped onto the main stage, the crowd knew they were in for something special. Dressed in his signature street style, Zola 7 launched straight into hit after hit, and the audience sang every word back to him.
He performed songs he is best known for, including ; Ghetto Scandalous, Mdlwembe, Khokhovula, and 7 Days. Each track was met with loud cheers, dancing and phones in the air as festival-goers relived memories from the early 2000s.
True to form, Zola 7 also gave the crowd his signature remarks that have made him a household name. He kept it real, kept it warm, and kept reminding people to stay humble, stay grounded and love one another.
The interaction was what made the set stand out. He called people to the front, handed them the mic, and let them take over verses. At one point he stopped the music completely, stepped back from the band and sang: ‘Ngobu thando lwakho lungangolwandle’ acoustically. The whole field joined in. For a few minutes there was just his voice, the crowd and the night sky over Malkerns.
“It felt like home,” one festival-goer said. “He made us feel like we were part of the show, not just watching it.”
The sound was later restored and Zola closed with more high-energy tracks that had the entire audience on their feet.
His performance set the tone for the weekend. It was about music, but also about connection, memory and celebrating African sound together.
The 8th Standard Bank Luju Food and Lifestyle Festival continues through the weekend.
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