If your weekend plans did not include Peaches & Cream, you may have missed one of Nairobi’s newest daytime music experiences making its mark.
The inaugural edition of Peaches & Cream took over Ngong Racecourse & Golf Park on Saturday, bringing together a mix of live African music, Afro-R&B, soulful sounds and Afro-house for an experience that moved with the day, from afternoon performances into an energetic evening under the Nairobi sky.
Headlined by South African stars Shekhinah and Sun-El Musician, the lineup brought together some of Kenya’s most exciting contemporary talent, including Nikita Kering, Njerae, Kethan, Bridget Blue, Ochiko, Watendawili, Xenia Manasseh, Bune, IV, Darkfruit, Smolls and Sendat.
The Kenyan acts each brought their own flavour to the day. Watendawili stood out with a high-energy performance that brought their signature charisma and Kenyan identity to the stage, while Xenia Manasseh delivered the soulful vocals that have made her one of the country’s distinctive contemporary voices. Njerae, Bridget Blue, Kethan and Ochiko continued the afternoon with performances that kept the focus firmly on Kenya’s evolving R&B and alternative music scene.
The electronic side of the experience then began to take shape as Bune, IV, Darkfruit, Smolls and Sendat brought a different energy to the grounds, helping shift the mood from live performances into the Afro-house sounds that carried the experience towards evening.
One of the standout moments came during Nikita Kering’s performance, when she was joined on stage by Gengetone artist Swat Mtoto wa Eunice for a surprise performance of Lamba Lolo. The unexpected collaboration sent the crowd into a full singalong, creating one of the day’s most talked-about moments.
At the top of the bill, Shekhinah brought her powerful R&B performance to Nairobi, while Sun-El Musician delivered the soulful Afro-house sound that has made him one of Southern Africa’s most recognised names in the genre.
But beyond the individual performances, Peaches & Cream was designed around a different kind of music experience.
The concept was created by Crispy Life Events, the team behind Rhythm & Brunch and Millennials Cookout, with the new property extending their experience in building social events while exploring a growing appetite for daytime music experiences in Nairobi.
Unlike a traditional concert built around one headline act, Peaches & Cream was designed as a progression — live performances through the afternoon, a changing atmosphere as the sun went down, and Afro-house taking over later in the day. That format had been central to the concept from the beginning, with the organisers describing it as an experience that could move naturally from live music into an evening social atmosphere.
Dickson Matata, Founder of Crispy Life Events, said the debut was an important step in the evolution of the company’s event portfolio.“Peaches & Cream was created because we wanted to give Nairobi a different kind of daytime experience. The response to the first edition has shown us that there is an audience for live African music, great outdoor spaces and experiences that allow people to spend an entire day enjoying music and connecting with each other.”
The debut also reflects the changing nature of Nairobi’s entertainment culture, where audiences are increasingly looking beyond traditional nightlife for experiences that combine music, socialising and lifestyle in an outdoor setting.
For Crispy Life Events, the first edition marks the beginning of a new chapter rather than simply another event on the calendar.
And judging by the conversations coming out of the first edition, Peaches & Cream may have just given Nairobi another date worth saving.
