Burna Boy makes history here, becoming the first African artist to headline a UK stadium. The Grammy award-winning, Nigeria-born artist has popularised Afro-fusion – the blending of Afrobeats with pop, dancehall, hip-hop and R&B influences – for more than a decade and, long cherished by Britain’s African and Caribbean communities, has edged into the UK mainstream with starry collaborations (Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, Jorja Smith) and summer 2023’s ubiquitous Top 5 solo single Last Last. Embodying sonic influences that shape an entire continent, this show affirms African music’s place as a staple in British culture.
Thumping talking drums, saxophone licks and expressive moves from a captivating white-clad troupe of dancers pre-empt Burna’s arrival. The stage set is a fairground – dubbed the Love, Damini Fair after his most recent album – complete with a golden merry-go-round that turns to reveal the man himself in a bold orange jumpsuit blowing in the breeze. Kickstarting a two-hour set, it’s clear that the star’s swagger – his wide grin and explosive movements in tandem with a vivacious band – rests on gratitude, articulated in generic but affectingly heartfelt overtures to the crowd: “Words can’t explain my emotions right now … there’s nothing else I’d dreamed more of.”
