Milk + Cookies Festival is bringing Grammy-winning singer Olivia Dean to South Africa for its third edition, adding the British star to a line-up that brings together international talent and some of the country’s rising music voices.
Dean will headline the festival at Sandringham Farm in Cape Town on 29 January 2027, before taking the stage at Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg on 31 January. She joins previously announced South African artists Elaine, Zee Nxumalo, Chelsea Sloan and Jade T, with additional performers and the wider programme still to be revealed.
The announcement follows a major year for Dean, who won the Grammy for Best New Artist and four BRIT Awards in 2026. Her second album, The Art of Loving, has strengthened her international profile, while her hit single “Man I Need” has reached audiences well beyond the UK.
Accepting her Grammy earlier this year, Dean reflected on her grandmother Carmen, who moved from Guyana to London at 18 as part of the Windrush generation. “I’m a product of bravery,” she said, highlighting the family history that continues to shape her perspective.
Her appearance also reflects the festival’s approach to music programming. Since launching in South Africa in 2025 with Kaytranada as its headline act, Milk + Cookies has welcomed more than 50,000 attendees across its first two editions. Atlanta rapper Gunna headlined in 2026, demonstrating the event’s willingness to move between genres rather than follow a single musical formula.
“Never the same sound, always the same feeling,” says Chase Freeman, Head of Marketing at Milk + Cookies. He explains that the festival prioritises the experience of the audience, bringing different sounds together while building the event with the artists, creatives, venues and partners of each city.
Beyond the performances, the programme combines music with food, fashion, art and design through workshops, panels, pop-ups and parties.
Pre-registration is open at tickets.milkandcookiesfestival.com/registration. The pre-sale begins on Wednesday, 28 October, at 10:00 SAST, followed by general ticket sales on Friday, 30 October, through Howler.
The festival is strictly for attendees aged 18 and older.
