Votia + Afrorack

Votia is a vibrant celebration of Maloya music from Réunion Island. With powerful vocals, polyphonic harmonies, and trance-inducing percussion, the band invites you into a musical tradition filled with joy, resistance, and deep communal spirit. After the concert, you can enjoy a live electronic set by Afrorack, merging African rhythms and DIY electronics into a groundbreaking sonic experience.

PROGRAM

• Doors open: 19:00

• First act (TBA): 19:15

• Votia: 20:30

• Afrorack: 21:45

VOTIA

Rooted in strong family traditions and shaped by African, Indian, and Malagasy heritage, Votia’s performance brings dynamic rhythms, rich vocal harmonies, and an infectious energy that moves the audience to dance and connect. This is more than a concert – it’s a joyful, collective experience that bridges generations and cultures.

Led by Marie-Claude Lambert-Philéas – daughter of legendary Maloya artist Gramoun Lélé – Votia blends the family's musical legacy with original compositions sung in Creole and Malagasy. Their sound is a powerful fusion of traditional instruments and a contemporary edge. Maloya, often described as the blues of Réunion, carries stories of resistance and hope, and Votia conveys this heritage with authenticity and radiant joy.

AFRORACK

Brian Bamanya, known as Afrorack, is a Ugandan artist, engineer, and musician behind Africa’s first DIY modular synthesizer. Driven by a passion for electronics and a desire to make modular synthesis accessible in Uganda, he built his own synthesizer using locally sourced components and self-taught engineering skills. The instrument – and his artist name – The Afrorack – symbolizes his vision of blending technology with African musical traditions.

Afrorack has performed at international festivals such as Sonar, Rewire, Elevate, Dakar Art Biennale, and CTM.