Africa Express: Live, Loud, and Touring Europe

If you’ve never heard of Africa Express, here’s the deal.

They’re a UK-based collective that brings together artists from Africa, Europe, and the Americas—not to dilute styles into some generic “world music,” but to improvise, experiment, and challenge traditional categories. Founded by Damon Albarn and Baaba Maal, the project has been pushing against industry boundaries from the start. At its core, Africa Express is about connection: giving African artists space on global stages, challenging the way the Western industry frames “non-Western” music, and creating room for genuine artistic exchange, not charity. The idea is simple yet radical: gather great musicians in a room and let them surprise each other.

Africa Express has staged chaotic, brilliant shows at Glastonbury, the Olympics, and refugee camps. They've released a handful of collaborative albums — including Maison des Jeunes (recorded in Mali), EGOLI (in South Africa), and The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians (a live tribute to displaced artists). But the real magic happens live. Their gigs feel more like jam sessions than concerts: unpredictable, loose, and full of surprises.

This summer, they’re back on the road with Bahidorá, a live show shaped during their appearance at the iconic Mexican festival of the same name. The lineup spans borders and genres, featuring West African griots, UK indie, Latin American hip-hop, Congolese funk, and South African electronic. Some of the names: Abou Diarra, Baba Sissoko, Moonchild Sanelly, Joan As Police Woman, Bootie Brown, Django Django, M.anifest, La Bruja de Texcoco, Mexican Institute of Sound, and more.

I’ll drop some tracks below if you want to dive in.

Here’s where to catch them:

JULY 5 – Roskilde Festival, Denmark
JULY 6 – Müpa, Budapest
JULY 8 – Ostia Antica Festival, Rome
JULY 9 – Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg
JULY 11 – Cruïlla Festival, Barcelona