Nairobi had another reason to step outside recently as Peaches & Cream made its debut at Ngong Racecourse, turning the grounds into an open-air celebration of soulful African sound.

Starting in the afternoon and stretching into the night, the inaugural event brought together music, food, lifestyle and community in a setting that felt deliberately removed from the usual nightclub circuit. The idea was simple: good music, good people and enough room to let the day unfold.

And the music delivered on that promise, with a lineup that brought together a strong mix of Kenya’s R&B, Afro-pop and alternative scene, with performances from Nikita Kering’, Xenia Manasseh, Njerae, Kethan, Bridget Blue, Ochiko and Watendawili. Each brought their own texture to a bill that felt distinctly Kenyan while still leaving room for a wider African sound.

From the smooth R&B tones they have become known to belting some of their fan-favourites, the stars with their own blend of alternative and Afro-fusion sounds together with the crowd took time to indulge in the moments. In the course of the evening, the energy shifted naturally from live performances into the dancefloor-ready sounds of DJs including Bune, IV, Darkfruit and Smolls.

Then came the international pull. South African singer Shekhinah and Afro-house heavyweight Sun-El Musician gave the debut its biggest continental moments, bringing the sounds of Southern Africa into a lineup otherwise rooted firmly in Nairobi. Their presence also underlined the event’s wider ambition: to create a space where Kenya’s emerging and established voices could sit comfortably alongside artists shaping African music beyond the country’s borders.

But Peaches & Cream was never just about standing in front of a stage. Set against the open grounds of Ngong Racecourse, the experience leaned into the social side of a typical Nairobi Saturday – people arriving with friends, dressing for the occasion, moving between performances, food and drinks, and making a day of it. The event’s format allowed the atmosphere to build gradually, moving from sunlit afternoon sets into the warmer, more energetic hours of the evening.

There were, naturally, a few unscripted moments along the way. During Watendawili’s performance, Charisma took an unexpected tumble on stage but continued singing from the floor before eventually getting back up and carrying on with the set. The moment quickly made its way online, becoming one of the lighter reminders that live music rarely goes exactly according to plan.

By the time night settled over the venue, Peaches & Cream had made its introduction: a music experience built less around a single headline moment and more around the feeling of spending an entire Saturday surrounded by sound, style and people.

For its first edition, it’s a fitting celebration of Kenya’s increasingly diverse musical landscape – soulful, social and very much in its own lane – and one can only hope this is the beginning of many more editions to come. 

COVER CREDIT: kibi.chii

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