During a conversation with Nandi Madida on Apple Music’s “Africa Now Radio,” Shekhinah shared that her motivation to launch her own music festival, Rosefest, came after observing the triumph of significant events put together by prominent male artists. In particular, she mentioned AKA’s “Supa Mega Show” and Cassper Nyovest’s “Fill Up The Dome” as major influences for her ambitious endeavor.
Shekhinah articulated her ambition to carve out a niche for herself and other women within a predominantly male-centered industry. Recognizing the achievements of legendary male musicians and their unique festival brands, she emphasized the importance of women establishing a sense of ownership in this space as well. Rosefest, which is an entirely female-centric music festival, was born out of this vision. She envisaged it as a means to initiate a movement, inspiring other women to take charge of their enterprises and build their own platforms.
After a break spanning a couple of years, during which she concentrated on virtual events, Shekhinah expressed her heartfelt thanks for the incredible backing from her supporters. She pointed out that the festival had completely sold out, reflecting its significance and the community’s excitement. She conveyed her gratitude for the positive reception from the public, ensuring everyone that a delightful day of music and festivities awaited. The revival of the festival and its resounding success illustrate that her original visionary concept, ignited by the influence of AKA and Cassper Nyovest, has transformed into a thriving and cherished event for women in the South African music landscape.
“Shekhinah tells Apple Music why her festival Rosefest remains so important to her.
I wanted to have some sort of ownership as a woman in our industry. We have so many iconic males – and there were so many properties also dominated by males. There was the ‘Supa Mega Show’, ‘Fill Up The Dome’ etc and I felt like, okay, if I have one, maybe I’ll start the trend for other women owning their own spaces and taking the business into their own hands too. It was really just an ambitious kind of thing. I’m grateful and a big thank you to everyone for buying tickets and also for welcoming us back. I know we haven’t been around for the past couple of years. We’ve been doing a lot of online things and I’m really grateful that people received us so well and we are sold out and we’re going to have a beautiful day!“
