R&B is set for another summer explosion in South Africa as the WAV Festival returns to the Mother City, but this time with a twist. Following its launch last year in the Mother City, the popular music festival returns in the January 2027 with a second city joining in the fun, with fans in Cape Town and Pretoria having two opportunities to enjoy the event over one weekend.
The festival returns to the Mother City on Saturday 2 January before taking on Pretoria at SunBet Arena on Sunday 3 January.
Leading the events will be international R&B favourites Ty Dolla $ign and KWN, bringing two different sounds and perspectives to the celebration of the evolution of the genre.
Ty Dolla $ign has spent years traversing R&B, hip hop and pop, whilst British artist KWN has been carving her own space with an emotionally driven sound and contemporary take on R&B.
As a result, their presence reflects the wider ambitions of WAV – celebrating the roots of R&B and providing space for where the genre is heading next.
However, WAV does not position itself as just music.
The festival sits on the intersection of music, culture, fashion and connection, creating a space where international sounds meet African creativity and local audiences.
That vision will also continue through the festival’s partnership with Bernini, which returns as the festival’s cider, beer and RTD partner. The collaboration will include the Bernini Golden Circle across the festival experiences.
For Africa Creative Agency CEO Colin Gayle, joining forces with Bernini is a natural next step following the launch of the Cape Town event, with WAV hoping to reach a greater R&B audience around the country.
And for fans, the dates for the events are fixed.
WAV Cape Town takes place on 2 January 2027 with tickets available through Howler, while WAV Pretoria takes place at SunBet Arena on 3 January with tickets available through Webtickets.
Tickets will be officially on sale 6 October 2026, with pre-sale access available to fans who sign up in advance of the general release.
With two cities, international R&B names and more announcements still expected, WAV 2027 promises to be a big start to a new year.
