THE Bluff-born singer and songwriter Tristan Cole Boltman made an indelible mark at the Splashy Fen Music Festival this year, performing for a packed crowd at the Treehouse stage. Set against the scenic backdrop of the foothills of the Drakensberg mountains, the 2025 instalment of the festival hosted thousands of music enthusiasts from across the country.

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Making his third Splashy appearance, Boltman described the experience as surreal as his first.

“It was a bizarre feeling to have people recognise my single Fall Asleep word for word, and for them to recognise it by hearing it play on radio stations across the country,” he shared.

Known for his distinctive indie-pop style, Boltman won over the audience with his performance that earned new fans as much as it rallied up loyal followers. One of the highlights for him was the relentless crowd support.

“Being with those people, with all who kept encouraging me and praising me saying, ‘You did great,’ yeah that made it special. It was also amazing to meet the people who connect with the music I’m so proud to create,” said Boltman.

Boltman said the festival has really helped him level up as a new talent. “I would love to come back next year and the year after that and again and again. Splashy is just such a great platform for us young artists to perform in front of an audience and be a part of an ancient tradition in the music scene of KZN,” he shared.

Boltman also teased that his fans will not have to wait long for more music by him and that something is definitely in the works.

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