Pretoria, 9 October 2025 – In The City 2025 delivered on its promise of an “R&B takeover” Sunday night, as a sold-out crowd of approximately 9,000 packed SunBet Arena in Pretoria. The highly anticipated show, in partnership with MTV Base, featured a powerhouse all-female lineup headlined by global R&B sensation Summer Walker alongside Jessie Reyez, Mereba, and South Africa’s own lordkez. Fans streamed into the venue for an unforgettable night of soulful music and pure vocal magic.
From the moment the lights dimmed, the energy inside the arena was electric. Opening the evening, local R&B aficionado Akio Kawahito set the tone with a mesmerising DJ set that had the crowd moving before the first act even hit the stage.
LORDKEZ, the only South African act on the bill, represented homegrown talent with a performance that was as powerful as it was vulnerable. Highlights of the set included surprise guests Shekhinah for their joint record Water, as well as Cassper Nyovest, who graced the stage for the current number one national radio anthem Aweh.
Atlanta neo-soul songstress Mereba followed soon after with an ethereal spectacle that left the crowd in a trance, before Canadian-Colombian pop star Jessie Reyez turned the arena into a mass karaoke session.
Soon it was time for Summer Walker, who paid homage to South Africa and its impact on global music by inviting Amapiano star Ciza to open her set with the smash hit Isaka. Walker stepped onto the stage to absolute pandemonium. Effortless vocals, gut-wrenching lyrics, and captivating stage presence enchanted thousands in a set that had fans singing every lyric word for word.
It’s the R&B takeover we’ve been waiting for,” said the event’s operations manager and co-curator, Jason Pienaar. “Doing these shows is never a small task and takes a lot of investment financially and logistically, but moments like these make us very proud to be in service of the South African music community.”
As confetti filled the air and the final chords faded, the crowd’s cheers lingered. In The City 2025 wasn’t just another concert; it was proof that R&B is alive, loved, and louder than ever in South Africa.