In pictures: Uganda’s most radical festival arrives in Europe

Originating from the vibrant creative scene of Kampala, Uganda, the Nyege Nyege festival has steadily established itself as a beacon for avant-garde African music since its inception in 2015. What began as intimate gatherings led by co-founders Derek Debru and Arlen Dilsizian evolved into an internationally recognized event held in Jinja, attracting diverse audiences and fostering emerging artists from across the continent.

In September 2025, Nyege Nyege took a significant step by launching Mirror World, its inaugural European edition hosted in Brussels at venues including CityGate and La Fabriek. This expansion marks a crucial moment for the collective, presenting both opportunities and challenges as it transports its distinctive musical ethos from East Africa to a European context known for its own rich electronic and underground music traditions.

Mirror World’s programming underscores the festival’s commitment to showcasing a broad spectrum of African sonic innovation, ranging from the hypnotic electronic rhythms of northern Uganda’s acholi traditions to the high-energy Tanzanian singeli genre. The festival deliberately showcases artists who blend traditional elements with experimental sounds, thereby expanding the European audience’s understanding of Africa’s musical diversity beyond mainstream genres such as Afrobeats or amapiano.

A noteworthy aspect of Mirror World is its strategic emphasis on collaboration between African and Brussels-based musicians. This approach fosters creative exchanges, exemplified by performances that merge Nigerian producer Azzi on the Beat’s live electronic production with Indian classical instrumentation, highlighting the festival’s openness to cross-cultural experimentation and its intent to nurture new artistic dialogues.

Despite the enthusiasm surrounding the Brussels event, the festival’s organizers acknowledge that replicating the original Nyege Nyege’s atmosphere and cultural resonance in Uganda is not feasible. Factors such as the African environment and community dynamics that infuse the original festival with its radical spirit cannot be fully transplanted to Europe. Nonetheless, Mirror World serves an essential role as a platform for African artists facing barriers like visa restrictions and limited touring opportunities, affording them a foothold within the European festival circuit.

The festival’s structure challenges conventional headliner-focused formats, instead crafting an evolving musical journey that transitions from intimate, experimental sets to more intense performances as the night progresses. This fluid programming style reflects the adaptable and community-oriented ethos that Nyege Nyege has developed since its early days in Kampala.

Artists like Ugandan DJ Kampire, a core collective member who performed at Mirror World, highlight the significance of foregrounding Black and African artists within Europe’s alternative music scenes, where such representation remains scarce. This re-centering challenges existing norms and brings fresh perspectives to European audiences accustomed to their own electronic music heritage.

Visual identity and artistic direction also play a pivotal role in Mirror World’s narrative. French-born Ghanaian artist Eden Tinto Collins, responsible for the festival’s visual elements, emphasizes mobility as a central theme, reflecting the broader issue of restricted travel faced by many African artists. Collins also critiques the European tendency to intellectualize artistic expression, advocating instead for an appreciation of more spontaneous and diverse creative processes.

Audience response in Brussels indicates the early stages of cultivating a community akin to that which thrives around Nyege Nyege in Uganda. Attendees from different backgrounds, including Europeans with previous exposure to the original festival, note the distinct atmosphere and growing enthusiasm for the unique musical offerings. Performances by artists such as Tanzanian MC Anti Vairas, who witnessed increasing audience engagement throughout her set, exemplify the festival’s potential to resonate beyond its origins.

Ultimately, Mirror World embodies Nyege Nyege’s ambition to assert African experimental music’s place on Europe’s stages under its own terms. While it cannot duplicate the original’s context, it creates vital opportunities for visibility, artistic exchange, and network-building, positioning itself as both a cultural ambassador and a catalyst for new creative trajectories within the global music landscape.