How football festivals are shaping Tanzania’s music talent

From Simba Day to Wananchi Day, football clubs are turning their annual fan festivals into full-scale entertainment productions, and artistes are seizing the chance to level up.

What was once a pre-match warm-up is now a prime stage where Tanzanian performers learn to command crowds of 30,000 or more.

“Doing a live show is very challenging,” says Christian Bella, the “Mfalme wa Masauti” (King of Voices).

“You need to know the venue, whether it’s a stadium or a hall, and prepare accordingly.” Bella’s warning captures the stakes: a stadium doesn’t forgive sloppy technique.

“If you can’t sing live, don’t agree to do it. But if you want to, you must practise extensively, train your voice, and build stamina.”

When Mbosso headlined Simba Day, he treated it like a personal world tour stop.

In a heartfelt note to fans, he called it “the biggest football-themed concert of my career” and admitted to investing heavily in set design and rehearsal.

The payoff? Fans compared his high-energy show to a FIFA World Cup opening, praising its global standard of stagecraft.

One attendee wrote, “Mbosso’s show was insane…like a FIFA opening in Dar! Stage setup, vocals, choreography, everything top-notch.”

Another added, “The energy was unreal. He had the stadium in the palm of his hand.”

Although artistes hype up the audience with chants and call-and-response moments, their performances during such events rely heavily on actual live singing, not just “twende… tunaimba wote” moments.

This approach is helping performers refine their craft under pressure, ensuring every note counts in a stadium setting.

Across town, Zuchu brought the same ambition to Yanga SC’s Wananchi Day. Her slick choreography, live vocals, and interactive crowd work turned a football fan fest into a festival-ready concert.

Fans praised her precision and energy. “Zuchu killed it! Her energy, vocals, and choreography made Yanga Day feel like a full-blown concert. Every moment was on point!”

Others commented, “I’ve never seen a stadium sing along like this. She knows how to connect with the crowd!”

No conversation about Tanzanian stadium shows is complete without Dully Sykes, the veteran “Mr Misifa”.

Performing for multiple club events over the years, including both Simba and Yanga celebrations, Dully has mastered the art of energising fans while maintaining strong live vocals.

“Dully Sykes still has it! “His live voice is perfect, and the crowd went wild,” one fan noted. Another wrote, “Watching him balance hype and real singing is a lesson in how stadium performances should be done.”

“Fans come to sing, dance, and feel the music,” Sykes says. “But you have to give them something real; you can’t just shout or lip-sync. The stadium is unforgiving; if your voice isn’t strong, the energy dies.”

For Dully, these sports events are not just gigs; they’re intense rehearsals under fire, pushing him to perfect pacing, stamina, and crowd control.

Young artistes are now learning by watching how he balances hype with actual singing, proving that stadium performances demand skill and strategy.

Adding another layer to this trend, Ali Kiba delivered a standout performance at the African Football League (AFL) opening ceremony on October 21, 2023, at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Celebrating Tanzanian and African culture, the event featured traditional dances, vibrant displays, and a sea of excited fans.

Ali Kiba commanded the stage with a passionate rendition of his hit Utu, accompanied by dazzling choreography and performers in colourful traditional attire.

Fans raved, “Ali Kiba gave us a show to remember, Utu live in front of all those fans was magical!” Another said, “From choreography to energy, he proved Tanzanian artistes can deliver at global standards.”

Reflecting on the performance, Ali Kiba said, “One for the history books…in my motherland, Tanzania, performing on one of the biggest stages at one of Africa’s most important events.”

For artistes like Ali Kiba, stadium-scale sports events are not just shows, they’re masterclasses in live performance, testing endurance, vocal control, and crowd engagement under the glare of a global audience.

These sports spectacles are doing more than entertaining football fans, they’re giving Tanzanian artistes a rare sandbox to perfect large-venue acoustics, pacing, and audience engagement, the very skills needed for global arenas like Madison Square Garden or The O2.

With sponsors footing production bills and clubs eager to thrill supporters, artists can experiment with full bands, advanced sound engineering, and pyrotechnics—luxuries smaller venues rarely allow.

Until recently, only a handful of Tanzanian acts had the chance to perform for crowds this size at home. Now, football clubs are inadvertently incubating the next wave of live-show powerhouses, turning stadium days into the ultimate masterclass.

Fans agree, with comments like, “These football events are turning into real music festivals! The level of professionalism and energy is next-level,” and “It’s amazing to see Tanzanian artists learning to command massive crowds, future global stars in the making.”

For aspiring musicians, the message is clear…the road to the world stage might just run through the pitch.