Zuke returns with all-local Afrohouse line-up

A curated Afrohouse event that began as a private gathering last year is returning for its second edition, with organisers seeking to build a dedicated platform for the genre in Namibia.

Zuke 002 Desert Frequency will take place on 31 October as a 10-hour, ticketed warehouse event in Windhoek, following the inaugural invite-only edition held at the Maerua Mall Rooftop.

The organisers say Zuke was created in response to what they see as a gap in Namibia’s event scene, where amapiano dominates while Afrohouse has fewer dedicated platforms.

For its second edition, Zuke will feature an entirely Namibian line-up of DJs and artists, with organisers positioning local talent at the centre of the experience.

Gift Simataa, founder of the Zuke experience, says the decision was intended to create a stronger platform for local artists and audiences.

“Local doesn’t mean smaller. Local means closer to the heartbeat. If we get that right, there is no limit to how far the frequency can travel,” Simataa says.

The organisers say the focus on local talent is deliberate, arguing that artists need opportunities to experiment, develop and build audiences at home before expanding into regional and international markets.

“Regional and international talent will always have a place at Zuke, but the heartbeat of this platform has to be local,” the founders say.

“We are not trying to create a room full of people. We’re trying to create a room where everyone feels like they belong to something.”

Fashion will also form part of the event, reflecting Simataa’s background as a clothing brand owner.

While the first edition used the theme ‘A Pinch of Green’, the second edition will explore ‘The City Meets The Desert’, with attendees encouraged to incorporate desert-inspired colours including beige, sand, cream, brown, khaki and other earthy tones.

The organisers say fashion is intended to be part of how attendees engage with the event rather than simply a dress requirement.

“We don’t want people to simply attend Zuke wearing an outfit, we want them to express themselves through what they wear,” the founders say.

“Desert colours are the direction, but your interpretation is the point. Express yourself is not just a theme for us, it’s permission.”

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