30-year-old Mádé Kuti grew up in bustling Lagos, surrounded by rhythm, activism, and live music. That's to be expected as the grandson of the founder of Afrobeat—the legendary Fela Kuti—and son of Femi Kuti. As a child, he learned to play all kinds of instruments, and before he was even ten, he was performing with his father and the Positive Force band at famous venues such as Glastonbury and the Hollywood Bowl.
Mádé now proudly carries the torch of a fiery, urgent, politically engaged message and characteristic blazing live concerts.
In 2021, he released his debut album For(e)ward, on which he plays all the instruments himself, and the following year his new album Legacy+ was nominated for a Grammy. He continues at full speed with the follow-up Chapter 1 – Where Does Happiness Come From, released last year, in which he remains true to the afrobeat philosophy, but also establishes his own fresh sound. We will hear this during his first solo show in the Netherlands: Mádé on, yes, saxophone, plus an 11-piece band including a cool horn section.
"I want to acknowledge (...) my nephew who is taking Afrobeat to another level: Mádé!" said Aunt Yeni Kuti in her acceptance speech on January 31 during the Grammy Awards for the Lifetime Achievement Award for Fela Kuti.
Listen to Aunt Yeni and listen to Mádé live at Doornroosje!
Part of the Celebrate Africa! evening program
BCUC || Mádé Kuti || Ibaaku || Oumy
Made Kuti – Saxophone, keys, trumpet.
11-piece band – Guitar, bass guitar, drums, percussion, keys, 2 trumpets, 2 saxophones, backing vocalists