CTIJF 2025 drops final artist reveal: 33 acts, 10 international icons and one unforgettable musical journey

British saxophonist and jazz trailblazer Nubya Garcia is set to deliver an electrifying at CTIJF 2025.

British saxophonist and jazz trailblazer Nubya Garcia is set to deliver an electrifying at CTIJF 2025.

Image by: Supplied.

Published Apr 11, 2025

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It’s official, and it’s electric! The countdown is over, and the full line-up for Africa’s Grandest Gathering is here. 

The Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) has unleashed an epic roster of 33 powerhouse acts, featuring 10 international icons. Get ready for a jaw-dropping celebration of music that’s set to shatter boundaries, ignite your senses, and redefine what you thought was possible in the world of jazz. This year’s edition promises to be a genre-defying journey you won’t forget.

The final reveal of this week’s artist tranche is led by British saxophonist and jazz trailblazer Nubya Garcia, whose fearless sound and boundary-shattering style have made her a global icon. Garcia is redefining jazz on her own terms, blending R&B, dub, classical, and broken beat into a cosmic groove that has enchanted audiences from Glastonbury to New York.

Ramon Alexander featuring Leslie Kleinsmith

Cape Jazz royalty meets storytelling magic as pianist, composer and educator Ramon Alexander brings his dynamic trio to the CTIJF stage, joined by the legendary Leslie Kleinsmith, the voice of District Six.

This performance is set to be a deeply soulful homage to Cape heritage and jazz traditions.

Melorie Jane

The bold, brilliant, and unstoppable Melorie Jane is also on the bill and lighting up jazz with her award-winning sound, powerful vocals, and piano virtuosity. With international acclaim and a new album that’s pure fire, this is the jazz dynamo you don’t want to miss.

KDollahz

Funk. Soul. Nostalgia. Power. The incomparableKDollahz is more than a DJ - he’s a cultural force.

From Boiler Room sets to over 150 shows a year, he’s curated a soundscape that’s both intergalactic and deeply rooted in Black joy, love, and liberation.

DJ Masoodah

Cape Town’s rising queen of the decks. With her genre-hopping style, killer energy, and magnetic presence, DJ Masoodah has gone from YouTube to the big stage - and is set to ignite the festival with her unmatched vibe. 

She’s a crowd-pleaser, a radio favourite, and a celebration of the power of women behind the decks.

With 33 acts across multiple stages, CTIJF 2025 is more than a festival - it’s a movement, a

celebration, and a homecoming for lovers of music, rhythm, and soul. Expect stages pulsing with rhythm, soul, innovation, and uncontainable energy.

Full line-up by day (In alphabetical order)

Friday, April 25

Black Coffee + Nduduzo Makhathini

DJKDollahz

Incognito

iPhupho L’ka Biko

Ivan Mazuze: Penjka

Kandace Springs

Linda Sikhakhane

Masego

Muneeb Hermans

Plurism

The Brother Moves On

The Ploemies

TKZee

Victor Masondo Quartet with Thembi Mtshali & Bheki Khoza

Ward|Prins|Shepherd|Rubain

Saturday, April 26

Ari Lennox

Benjamin Jephta ft. Kunjenga

Bombay Lights

Bongeziwe Mabandla

DJ Masooda

Gotts Street Park

Igor Butman Quartet

Kelvin Momo

Kyle Shepherd Trio

Lira

Malcolm Jiyane

Melorie Jane Quintet

Nomfundo Xaluva

Nubya Garcia

Ramon Alexander Trio ft. Leslie Kleinsmith

Ritmo

Thandiswa Mazwai

Thembi Dunjana

“We are immensely proud of this line-up,” says Lindsay Rhoda, Talent Manager at CTIJF. “Our team has sourced the very best talents from across the jazz spectrum - from acid jazz to traphouse, psychedelic and spiritual jazz, and vibrant African sonic traditions. This is not just a showcase of styles - it’s a reflection of our continent’s creativity and the global pulse of jazz today. Now, we’re ready to share it with South Africa and the world.”

This is more than a line-up - it’s a love letter to jazz in all its forms. CTIJF 2025 is where tradition meets rebellion, rhythm meets innovation, and the world comes to dance. Don’t just hear the music be the movement.

Tickets are available at ticketmaster.co.za. For more information, visit capetownjazzfest.com, download the CTIJF Festival App, and follow @officialcapetownjazzfest on social media for exclusive content, artist takeovers, and behind-the-scenes moments.