To celebrate a decade of cultural counterfire, the impossible festival invites DJ Travella, DJ Marcelle, and DJ Tobzy to its naked feast, accompanied by a delegation of producers invited by the one and only Skrillex. Join the temporary autonomous zone of Nyege Nyege this November 20-23 at Kalagala Falls, Uganda.
Twilight is falling on festival season and yes we had fun again this year, it’s true. But not always. And it has to be said that every fall, festival-goers are hit with greenwashing, overpricing, and ultra-aggressive, completely unapologetic marketing. There is something flawed about mega summer parties. They may disappear, at least in the form we know today, since their economic model is completely broken. Even though they are almost always sold out, two out of three summer festivals in France end up in the red. The National Music Center confirmed this in July 2025. Apolitical entertainment—well, not always, anyway—golden pits, burnout-ridden headliners performing in front of iPhone flashlights, unbearable habibification in the Middle East (or how to trash sacred dunes with VIP dance floors), Afro-house appropriation… The poison of Coachella-zation is eating away at many musical experiences, with the epidemic of shirtless Chads as its terminal corollary: “Electronic music has become an attraction rather than an active practice of liberation,” writes Rachel Grace Almeida in her article “The Great Regression”, recently published on Resident Advisor: “We are heading towards a state of soft neutrality, a cultural void, where detachment is generously rewarded. Mainstream clubbing in the 2020s is a harmonized spectacle that rewards mediocrity.” We agree with Rachel’s observation, which heralds a form of “spiritual decline” that is affecting the party scene.
A decade-old nebula
The dangers are clear. But countermeasures are firmly in place around the world. Especially in Kampala, Uganda, come to think of it… For the past decade, Nyege Nyege has been rocking the best of experimental electronic music, from the banks of the Nile to the Kalagala Falls. Launched a decade ago by Arlen Dilsizian and Derek Debru as a simple party series in the heart of the capital, the experience has evolved, along with a growing collection of musical activists. Today, Nyege is a psychedelic nebula with two labels, an international touring agency, and a villa nestled in Kampala, where artists in residence produce music that defies all genres. Nyege artists tour the four corners of the globe, from Berlin to Nairobi, Paris to Jakarta, redefining the festive imagination with some of the deadliest dancefloor weapons on the planet. Its major event, which remains at the heart of the project, honors the rave spirit of pioneers such as Spiral Tribe and Sound Conspiracy every year. It will take place from November 20 to 23, 2025: “We are extremely excited about this upcoming edition,” enthuses co-founder Derek Debru. “Nyege is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, which is obviously a special moment for us and a very intense one for the festival. We have put together a line-up that is worthy of the occasion. I think it’s going to be wonderful.” We agree.
Skrillex to perform at Nyege Nyege 2025
The “Nyege 2025” lineup brings together an unlikely cast of artists and collectives from the continent, its diaspora, and beyond. Kampire, Travella, Diaki, Sisso & Maiko… The label’s members will of course all be there to play on home turf. Fans of Nigerian deep house from Group Therapy, members of the Ethiopian tech house label Fabrika, Tanzanian singeli activists, a scene dedicated to Cruise Beat, the do-it-yourself sound of the suburbs of Lagos with, among others, Dj Khalipha and Tobzy, and rapper Bushali, head of the Rwandan kinyatrap scene… These are just a few of the 300 musicians, bands, and sound activists expected in Uganda this year. Enough to leave with hours of listening and discography to explore. One person who made the right decision in coming to the festival this year is Sonny Moore, aka Skrillex.
Yes, in 2025 Skrillex will also be coming to Nyege to fill up on music and discoveries: “He mentioned wanting to come, which made sense to us because he is a huge inspiration to a lot of people here,” explained Derek from Nyege. “Tatyana Jane, who is also on the lineup this year, put us in touch with him. Kenyan DJ and producer Slikback, with whom Skrillex has already shared a studio, finalized the lineup. We hit it off with Sonny right away, talked with his team, and he offered to invite other artists.” The result of this high-level connection? Dylan Brady (half of the duo 100 gecs), Ahadadream—the London DJ and producer at the helm of the brilliant London label More Time Records—and rapper Flowdan—the absolute OG of original grime and founder of Roll Deep Entourage (Wiley, Dizzee Rascal, Skepta)—will also be present at Nyege 2025. All of them have shared the studio with Skrillex in one way or another. This astonishing collaborative carte blanche already promises to be an anthology of B2B’s.
Multidisciplinary bass and international collabs
“Ten years after its launch, Nyege Nyege is a space where music converges with global cultural experiences,” adds Derek. Traditional music, conferences, screenings, spotlighting the local scene with—among others—programming by songwriter Kezerod and Authentic Voices Africa (AVA), eco-responsible fashion… Once again, the bass music scene blends with a multidisciplinary and largely experimental crossover. PAM, a close collaborator and festival partner of Nyege Nyege since 2019, is delighted to celebrate this great global collision alongside the off-the-beaten-trackers, outsiders, and Earth shakers.
All information about Nyege Nyege 2025 is available here.
