Naak and Vumaala are set to represent South African electronic music at Amsterdam Dance Event 2026 with support from the SAMPRA Development Fund, Cape {town{ Etc reports.
South African electronic music is set for an international showcase this October, with NAAK and Vumaala heading to Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) 2026 for performances, industry engagements and networking opportunities.
The trip comes as ADE prepares to mark its 30th anniversary from 21 to 25 October, bringing artists and music professionals together across Amsterdam.
The official ADE programme describes the event as a five-day electronic music festival and industry platform spanning more than 300 venues and more than 1 200 events.
The artists’ participation is supported by the SAMPRA Development Fund, which forms part of the South African Music Performance Rights Association’s initiatives supporting recording artists and the wider music industry.
NAAK introduces new collaboration
For NAAK, the Amsterdam programme coincides with the next stage of his music campaign and the introduction of Intoxicated, a collaboration with Bun Xapa featuring Rowlene.
The track is the first single from his forthcoming After Hours EP and brings together three South African artists working across Afro-house, electronic production and contemporary R&B.
NAAK’s previous collaborations have included Black Coffee, Heavy-K, Bucie and DJ Tira, while his work spans vocal performance, production and DJing.
The ADE appearance therefore provides a platform for the new release while placing the project within an international electronic music programme.
Vumaala steps into his own spotlight
Alongside NAAK will be Vumaala, the artist project of Grammy-nominated South African producer and multi-instrumentalist Bubele Booi.
Booi has production credits connected to artists including Beyoncé, John Legend, Cynthia Erivo and Clean Bandit. Under the Vumaala name, his work moves through Afro-house, three-step and gqom, placing African electronic influences at the centre of the project.
The Amsterdam programme gives audiences an opportunity to encounter Vumaala as an artist in his own right, beyond the production credits associated with his career.
NAAK and Vumaala are scheduled to perform back-to-back at House of A at art’otel Amsterdam on Thursday, 22 October as part of a Paradise Sound System showcase.
The event will bring together Africa Rising Music Conference, Bridges for Music, Oskido’s Big Day Out and Paradise Worldwide Africa, with performances and industry conversations focused on African electronic music.
The wider programme is also set to feature Kususa, Yamz & Phiwo, and Oskido & guests, placing the South African artists alongside other contributors to the continent’s electronic music ecosystem.
ADE’s 2026 edition is already shaping up as a major anniversary programme, as the event has confirmed that its 30th anniversary edition will run from 21 to 25 October, following a 2025 edition that attracted 600 000 visitors and nearly 3 500 artists across more than 1 200 events.
The Amsterdam visit will also include industry engagements. On Wednesday, 21 October, NAAK and Vumaala are expected to take part in the Association for Electronic Music (AFEM) Members Mixer, connecting their performance programme with broader discussions within the international electronic music sector.
Earlier that day, Pfanani Lishivha, Chief Executive Officer of SAMPRA, is scheduled to contribute to the AFEM Annual General Meeting, where topics including artificial intelligence, rights and rights management are set to be discussed.
SAMPRA identifies its Development Fund as the organisation’s corporate social investment arm, with funding information made available through the fund’s dedicated platform.
The 2026 programme follows a previous ADE initiative involving Busiswa, Dwson and Gigi Lamayne, through a collaboration between SAMPRA, Paradise Sound System and Africa Rising Music Conference.
This year’s participation continues that international-facing approach, with the focus extending beyond individual performances to include networking, industry dialogue and opportunities for South African artists to engage with international music professionals.
With ADE’s anniversary edition now less than three weeks away, NAAK and Vumaala’s appearances will place new music, established production experience and South African electronic genres within a programme that brings together artists and industry figures from across the global scene.
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Picture: Supplied
