Sofiya Nzau Breaks Barriers with Landmark Performance at Tomorrowland Festival in Belgium

Kenyan singer Sofiya Nzau is currently performing at Tomorrowland 2025, one of the world's premier electronic dance music festivals. 

The festival, which commenced on July 19 and continues until July 27, is taking place in Boom, Belgium, drawing over 400,000 attendees worldwide. Nzau's performance signifies not only a personal achievement but also the increasing prominence of African sounds within the international electronic music landscape.

Nzau's presence at Tomorrowland underscores the growing influence of East African artists in a genre historically dominated by Western aesthetics. 

Her inclusion in the festival's line-up, which features internationally renowned artists such as Steve Aoki, Martin Garrix, and Amelie Lens, highlights the burgeoning global interest in African musical talent. Nzau's rise to international recognition began with the release of "Mwaki" in November 2023, a collaboration with Brazilian producer Zerb. The song, sung in Kikuyu, achieved viral success, transcending linguistic and geographical boundaries to resonate with audiences worldwide. 

Within days of its release, "Mwaki" reached the top of Spotify's Global Viral Chart on November 16, 2023, becoming the most viral song globally on the platform. It also peaked at No. 4 on Beatport’s Afro House Top 100 chart. The track generated substantial fan-created content across various social media platforms, further amplifying its reach and impact.

The official music video for "Mwaki," filmed in Kenya's Hell's Gate National Park, amassed over half a million views within 48 hours of its release. To date, "Mwaki" has surpassed 315 million streams on Spotify, reflecting the track's enduring popularity and the increasing global appetite for African-rooted music. Through "Mwaki," Nzau introduced the Kikuyu language and Kenyan storytelling to a diverse global audience, challenging conventional notions of what constitutes mainstream music.

In May 2024, Nzau became the first East African artist to exceed 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify, surpassing regional heavyweights such as Diamond Platnumz and Harmonize. As of July 20, 2025, her monthly listener count stands at approximately 10.9 million, with total plays exceeding 561 million. “Mwaki” alone accounts for over 315 million streams, illustrating the song’s sustained resonance across continents.

Nzau's growing influence has also led to collaborations with established international artists, most notably Grammy-nominated DJ Steve Aoki. Their joint track, “We No We,” merges Afro-house rhythms with mainstream EDM elements, offering a unique sonic experience that bridges cultural and genre divides. The collaboration has garnered widespread airplay and festival exposure, with both artists scheduled to perform at Tomorrowland, further amplifying the track’s reach. This partnership reflects a broader trend within electronic music, wherein African musical elements are increasingly integrated into global soundscapes.

Nzau is currently undertaking her first European tour, which commenced on July 13, 2025, with a sold-out performance at Amsterdam’s Thuishaven. The tour encompasses major cities including Berlin, Paris, London, and Enschede, where she recently performed at Club Panache. These performances have attracted diverse audiences, many of whom discovered her music online. Several venues have sold out in advance, demonstrating her burgeoning popularity beyond African borders.

Germany has emerged as a significant market for Nzau, hosting her largest Spotify listener base. Her recent collaboration with German producer Avaion, titled “Wacuka,” has already accumulated over 60 million streams, solidifying her position within the European music scene. She is also scheduled to perform at the sold-out Open Beatz Festival, an event anticipated to attract more than 15,000 attendees. Beyond her stage performances, Nzau has been actively engaging with the European music community. 

She has collaborated with producers such as Arjen Thonen, Sergio Popken, and Tommy Deckers, and participated in the Lab of Tomorrow—Tomorrowland’s exclusive songwriting camp for emerging global talents. These initiatives not only enhance her artistic development but also position her as a key figure in the evolving dialogue between African and European music traditions. 

“This has been an amazing experience and a life-changing moment for me to perform for my fans in Europe,” Nzau said prior to her upcoming performance in Germany. “This is where my music is mostly listened to, and feeling that love in person has been truly humbling.”