IN early January 2025, Cape Town and Johannesburg played host to one of the year’s most anticipated events: the Milk and Cookies Festival.
The first leg in Cape Town featured South African acts followed by Kaytranada, who performed at Ostrich Farm. After the large positive outpouring from the first leg, Kaytranada expressed his excitement for the Johannesburg leg, where he had been told where the real party was. Whoever told him that was correct despite the inclement weather that soaked attendees.
Held at Huddle Park, the festival’s South African debut went off with a muddy but groovy set by the Haitian-Canadian DJ, establishing a high point in the city’s already vibrant cultural calendar.
For many in attendance, the experience was summed up in one phrase: “Kaytranada owes us nothing.”
Kaytranada, known for his genre-defying sound that blends electronic, hip-hop, and R&B, was the headline act for the festival, which made its African debut with performances across two weekends. In front of an enthusiastic crowd that included South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, the Grammy Award-winning DJ demonstrated why his reputation as a live performer continues to grow.
His set—a seamless mix of upbeat house tracks and smooth, soulful grooves—featured crowd favourites like “Witchy” (featuring Childish Gambino), “Vivid Dreams” (featuring River Tiber), a remix of Janet Jackson’s “If,” and “Be Your Girl” (a remix of Teedra Moses’ classic), alongside fresh cuts from his latest album, Timeless.
For Kaytranada, the Johannesburg stop on his Timeless tour was more than just another gig. On Twitter (now X), he expressed his gratitude, calling the performance one of his top three ever, despite the challenges the weather presented.
“Honestly Johannesburg, that was definitely on my top 3 best performances & best crowd,” he tweeted. “The number of tweets I see saying that I owe y’all nothing? Nahhh Y’ALL owe ME nothing! Thank you!”
A Festival of International and Local Talent
Milk + Cookies was more than just Kaytranada’s headline set. It showcased a diverse lineup of local and international artists, blending different styles of electronic music and further cementing South Africa’s position as a global festival hub.
South African DJ MUZI—who is quickly making a name for himself internationally—set the tone early with an energetic performance that had attendees dancing in the rain.
Alongside MUZI, artists like DJs Desiree, Mamthug, and Shamiso kept the crowd moving.
The lineup also included a back-to-back set from Gqom DJ Lag and Afrotech DJ Thakzin and a notable performance by New York-based DJ Kitty Cash, who brought a unique blend of R&B, hip-hop, baile funk, and electronic sounds in her debut. These artists, many of whom hail from South Africa’s vibrant underground music scene, have long been at the forefront of pushing global boundaries in music.
The Highs and Lows
While the performances undoubtedly lived up to expectations, attendees voiced concerns about the event’s logistics, particularly its rain-cover plans and layout. Furthermore, long queues at entry and exit points caused traffic delays that left many disappointed at the end.
The challenges highlighted a persistent issue faced by many festivals in South Africa: the infrastructure required to support the festival economy. South Africa’s festival scene, which includes iconic events like Rocking The Daisies, Bacardi Fest, and AfrikaBurn, has gained international recognition, but as the country attracts more global talent and audiences, its infrastructure often struggles to keep pace.
Despite these hurdles, the general mood remained positive. Minister Gayton McKenzie applauded the success of Milk and Cookies, who emphasised the importance of collaborations between local government and international entities.
“I wanna congratulate the organisers; South Africans are hungry for a good time, we are bringing back the happiness economy,” said an exuberant McKenzie.
In a video he posted to his X platform, McKenzie gestured to the large crowd at Huddle Park and called for more festival events on South African shores.
“We’re bringing it back, 2025 we’re gonna [sic] have many of these. International artists are coming back home to perform here, look at this,” he said.
“We need to create a platform for our local promoters and artists to host these kinds of events, all year round. This is the cornerstone of job creation and happiness. Congratulations to the organisers of Milk and Cookies Fest,” he wrote in the caption of his video post.
The Road Ahead
Milk and Cookies represents a turning point for South African festivals; a growing recognition of South Africa as a hub for music and culture signals a bright future. Still, the festival’s growing pains—be they logistical issues or price concerns—are a reminder of the challenges ahead.
As South Africa continues to host major international festivals like Afropunk and Ultra South Africa, it faces the critical task of ensuring that these events are accessible, well-organised, and sustainable for years to come.
Both Mamthug and MUZI share the vision of a future where the festival community in South Africa fosters the growth and spaces created not only to support local talent but also elevate South African artistry for international recognition and appreciation.
“They are opening up for us, you know, because these are essentially colleagues of ours and stuff. So, it’s gonna be a good time, and that’s the thing I’m most excited about, especially as [the] year starts. I’m excited about creating new properties where other artists that are younger than me can still have the same opportunities I have,” MUZI told The African Mirror.
“We need to keep opening doors for each other, for future collaboration and growth, to put South Africa and Africa on the map as curators,” Mamthug said.
In the end, while the weather may have been less than ideal and the logistical hiccups a point of contention, there’s no doubt that Kaytranada’s performance—and Milk + Cookies festival as a whole—left a lasting impression. As the sun set on Johannesburg, the city buzzed with excitement for the next chapter in its cultural evolution.
