First ZA Fest Ballito event a smash hit

Hundreds of North Coasters descended on Manor House to see the internationally acclaimed Ndlovu Youth Choir on Saturday.

The event was the first of many to be held under the ZA Fest Ballito banner at Manor House, which will culminate with a full-scale festival at the Sheffield venue in 2024.

Future events will include music, theatre, comedy and sport, and will take place throughout the rest of 2023 and into early next year.

Organisers could not have asked for a better act to headline the first performance, with the Ndlovu Youth Choir about to embark on an international tour.

The choir was founded in Limpopo in 2009 but drew a global audience after reaching the finals of America’s Got Talent and performing at the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony.

And once they stepped onto the stage on Saturday, it was immediately evident why their star continues to rise.

The choir, led by artistic director Ralf Schmitt, delivered a contagiously electric performance that enlivened the crowd of families in the audience.

Aside from the impressive vocals on show, the choir also performed energetic dances and interacted with the audience to make for a truly memorable show.

Their upcoming world tour will take them to the storied Carnegie Hall in New York, to Germany, the Netherlands and beyond.

You will be able to catch them locally in Johannesburg in August and Cape Town in October.

Elsewhere on the ZA Fest line-up, Durban favourites Veranda Panda, The Black Lapels and Freddy L rounded off the bill of professional acts who all drew widespread Ballito support.

The crowd also enjoyed early performances by Reddam House Ballito, Ashton International College Ballito and the Young Performers Project.

To ensure you do not miss out on the next event, follow the ZA Fest Ballito social pages.

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