What went down at the Afro Island x NOOK Afrobeats Pool Party
As Afrobeats finally started touching down across Europe, even Malta had to have a taste of what it means to celebrate this music genre. To make the magic happen, Afro Island and NOOK came together to throw their first Afrobeats pool party on the rock. The popular Med Asia Playa beach club provided the perfect place for partygoers to dance and vibe, as the scenery of the Mediterranean Sea complimented the tunes and beats of the talented DJs.
Tickets for next months event on Saturday 24th September headlined by Predz UK can be found here.
Behind the decks, a variety of local and international talents were present: DJ Shay Who and DJ M Funky representing Nigeria, DJ Daniel Veloso representing Netherlands and Urban Rockett representing Romania. Coming all the way from the UK, the international headline DJ and host for the night was DNA, who stepped on the island for his second time in recent months, after first performing as the official DJ at NOOK x PitchMalta.
On-site, various brands collaborated with the organizers to elevate and spice up the guest’s experience. Simpl provided their brand new hydration beverages to ensure that the partygoers remained hydrated during the dancing and alcohol of the night. Cake Club Clothing kitted out DJs & Staff, while one lucky giveaway winner got the chance to enjoy free shots throughout the entire night.
Starting off the day party at 2 PM, guests warmed up and chatted by the pool, while later Urban Rocket opened the set with a mix of Hip Hop and R&B. In the afternoon, as the sun set and the venue started to fill, DJ Funky and Shay Who teased our ears with Afrobeats and Amapiano hits. As the party got animated, people lined up and danced collectively to popular tunes like Master KG’s Jerusalema. When the night came, the dance floor got heated, and a beautiful blend of nationalities and cultures could be seen coming together for the love of Afrobeats.
Among the 500 attendees, both the familiar faces of locals and tourists could be seen. While buckets with bottles of spirits and Champagne flew from one table to another, many displayed their dance skills with their shakus, legwork, gwara gwaras, and amapiano steps. The gyaldem surely did not miss their opportunity to whine their waist as the different bashment and dancehall classics played on. The floor was spirited and those who came prepared to fight the heat were equipped with portable fans and hand towels, which soon became incorporated with the guest’s dance moves.
As the main party wrapped up at 2 AM, some headed home to rest up in preparation for the next day’s exclusive boat party, while DJ M Funky carried the music till 3 AM into an after party. The night ended as a success. Seeing people from all backgrounds gathering to share their passion and appreciation for afro-descendant music was a beautiful sight.
Afro Island has been launched to create a one-stop destination for the lovers of music coming from different parts of Africa and the diaspora. Choosing Malta as our launching place, has been done with the goal of raising awareness and to open up the Afro scene locally, while simultaneously benefiting the local talent in the field. With an end goal of all uniting together
