In 2025, Kaytranada took the stage for the first time in South Africa, attracting an audience of 20,000. The previous year, headlined by Gunna, saw attendance soar to over 30,000 across two cities, complemented by two weeks of Milk + Cookies Music Week activities featuring more than 50 artists from both Africa and beyond. This edition also contributed to the creation of over 3,500 jobs spanning production teams, vendors, and personnel in hospitality and venue management.
The contrasting years were intentional. Milk + Cookies curates performances tailored to the audience present, rather than adhering to specific genres. Having a Haitian-Canadian producer one year and an Atlanta rapper the next signifies a consistent approach, focused on the people attending rather than the musical category.
Recently, anyone strolling through Braamfontein, Melville, Maboneng, Woodstock, or the Cape Town CBD may have noticed enigmatic posters featuring a single line, “Never the same sound, always the same feeling,” devoid of any names, dates, or additional information. These posters alluded to the upcoming event.
“Never the same sound, always the same feeling,” commented Chase Freeman, Head of Marketing at Milk + Cookies. “That’s the only brief we’ve ever had. We book for the people in the room, not for a genre, and they come for what the room feels like as much as the name on the poster.”
The festival, spanning both cities, is part of a broader initiative that merges music, food, fashion, art, and design, featuring panels, workshops, pop-up shops, and parties alongside the main stages. Each event emphasizes collaboration with local South African artists, creators, venues, and partners, reinforcing the principle that those who foster the culture should lead the event.
“We came here to put on a show, and what we found changed how we do this everywhere else,” said Kevin Reese, co-founder of Milk + Cookies. “Three years in, this isn’t a visit. We build it with the people who live here, and it belongs to them as much as it does to us. The jobs, the vendors, the artists on the bill, that’s the part we’re proudest of.”
The first announcements will feature South African artists, followed by the headliner. Details regarding the full Music Week programming will be unveiled shortly.
Event Dates
- Cape Town — January 29, 2027
- Johannesburg — January 31, 2027
For more information, please visit: https://www.milkandcookiesfestival.com
Follow for more on socials @milkcookiesfest
