Music and football came together in Soweto on Saturday as Orlando Pirates supporters gathered at the Golden Fan Club at Elkah Stadium.
Supporters, many dressed in Orlando Pirates gear, packed the venue hours before kick-off, waving flags, singing club chants and dancing to amapiano and house music as DJs like Mörda and DJ Stokie warmed up the crowd ahead of the match.
The watch party, organised by Amstel, combined a live screening of the match with music performances in a festival-style fan experience while the game took place at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
As Orlando Pirates secured a 2-0 victory, the atmosphere inside the stadium erupted, with fans singing and celebrating throughout the evening.
Zee Nxumalo was among the first performers to take to the stage after the final whistle, performing songs including Mali and Ngisakuthanda as fans sang along word for word.
“I am super proud of Pirates because I am a fan and it was really nice performing for such a happy crowd. As an artist, you perform for different crowds, and it is always exciting to see people enjoying music,” Nxumalo told The Citizen after her set.
She also shared that she recently released a new EP with Dlala Thukzin titled Izinja Zam.
DJ Kent later took over the decks before Cassper Nyovest closed the night with a high-energy performance that kept fans on their feet.
The rapper performed some of his biggest hits, including Monate Mpolaye, Doc Shebeleza, Ngud’ and his latest release, Phunyuka Bamphethe.
Toward the end of his set, Nyovest paused to share a message with the crowd before singing a hymn.
“I’m a rapper, and I do what I do, but I want to sing at least one hymn to give praise to the Most High, the Creator, the beginning and the end. If you’re going through anything, I promise you, it’s not over. You just have to call on one name. The most powerful name. He came onto earth to save me and you,” he said.
Fan experience
Category lead at Heineken Beverages, Boipelo Malao, said the company plans to continue creating similar experiences for Orlando Pirates supporters.
“Our sole aim since we got into partnership with Orlando Pirates is to take the fan experience to the next level, and this is what we will continue doing next season as well. We are going to select matches throughout the season because our mission is to create an experience for fans to immerse themselves in Orlando Pirates,” Malao told The Citizen.
