History echoed in Auckland on Friday as Burna Boy, Nigeria’s global Afrobeats powerhouse, touched down in New Zealand for the first time in his career, greeted by an emotional crowd of fans, Maori cultural performers, and UFC champion Israel Adesanya, who helped anchor the event’s homecoming energy.
The Afrosoul Music Festival 2025, taking place on Saturday, October 11, at Lakeside, Western Springs, marks Burna Boy’s official debut performance on the Oceania continent. With a full live band and an international lineup that includes Victony, Darkoo, Jaydon Lewis, Jess B, and Raiza Biza, the festival is a celebration of Black excellence, rhythm, and unity under the southern sky.
Afrosoul
Stepping off the plane, Burna Boy, draped in his signature luxury Black hood, was welcomed with a traditional Maori haka performance, symbolizing respect and solidarity. Standing beside him, Adesanya, Nigeria’s own mixed martial arts legend and a cultural bridge between Africa and Oceania, beamed with pride.
“This is more than music,” Adesanya said. “It’s home meeting home. Nigeria and New Zealand — two cultures, one heartbeat.”
For Burna Boy, whose artistry has taken Afrobeats from Lagos to London, Paris to New York, this moment was deeply symbolic. His arrival signals a cultural migration of sound, the rhythm of Africa meeting the spirit of the Pacific.
The “African Giant” is expected to perform global anthems like Last Last, City Boys, and Ye, blending his electric Afrofusion sound with New Zealand’s open-air energy. Organizers say the event, inspired by the Afrobeats cultural wave, aims to connect African diaspora communities and introduce local audiences to the pulse of contemporary African creativity.
Burna Boy’s presence in New Zealand also underscores the global reach of Nigerian music and its growing role in shaping modern world culture. His artistry, rooted in Yoruba storytelling and Pan-African pride, has become a universal language.
For Nigerians abroad, the night promises to be a cultural coronation. As Burna Boy readies to light up the Afrosoul stage, backed by Israel Adesanya’s cultural vision, New Zealand is about to feel the full fire of the African Giant.
