Africa Oyé has announced the DJ lineup for this summer’s celebration in Liverpool’s Sefton Park, with an eclectic ensemble of DJs and selectors spinning the best in Afrocentric sounds across the festival site this June.
Two of the UK’s biggest names in African and Caribbean music will be returning to Oyé in 2026, with BBC 1Xtra’s DJ Edu and Seani B appearing alongside some of the region’s best talent.
The Oyé Stage
Seani B, one of the world’s leading dancehall and reggae DJs, returns to Africa Oyé following a highly successful set in 2024.
Known for his weekly 1Xtra Dancehall show, the most listened-to specialist programme on the network, Seani incorporates his London roots into a unique musical blend spanning Dancehall, Hip Hop, R&B, and Soca.
Joining him is the “Afro Boss” DJ Edu.
Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Edu has been a regular fixture at Oyé over the past decade and was recently named one of the 100 most influential Africans of 2024 by NewsAfrica magazine.
His work continues to put the latest sounds produced by Africa’s new generation on the global map, expanding the reach of Afrobeats, Amapiano, and Afro-fusion.
Due to popular demand, both Seani B and DJ Edu will perform evening sets on the dedicated DJ stage this year.
While they transition between areas, the main stage will be covered by Liverpool-based DJ SoulfulTiz, the head honcho of the popular Afrosentrik nights.
Trenchtown Meets Freetown: The DJ Stage
The festival’s dedicated DJ stage provides a platform for local purveyors of Afrocentric sounds who support the culture year-round.
Returning favourites include G33 and Hannah Lynch of the Girls Don’t Sync collective, who will fuse house, UK garage, and global club sounds.
Also returning are the residents of Liverpool-based club night OTRA, including Dharma Collective and RoBaSca, bringing percussive dancefloor sounds and globally influenced club music.
Regulars Dub Defenders and guests Sugarshack Sound will provide heavyweight roots, dub, and stepper selections featuring guest MCs Andre Jahnoi, Nicky Talent, Smokey, and MC Blista.
The lineup is further bolstered by Liverpool DJ royalty from the No Fakin’ and Lyrical Compact collectives.
New additions for 2026 include Chop.Life Partee, serving up high-energy Amapiano, and the Liverpool heavyweights Culture Deck with a collective of L8 selectors.
Decks in the City will also present a two-hour takeover showcasing a cross-section of its community, including Mums in the Mix DJs, for a genre-spanning session.
Artistic Director of Africa Oyé, Paul Duhaney, stated:
“Edu is part of the Oyé family and we’re delighted he can join us for the first festival in this new era.
“And Seani’s debut in 2024 went down so well we just had to bring him back this year.
“Both of them playing a headline set on the DJ stage for the first will be something special!
“For DJs based more locally, the lineup really is a testament to the talent that this city is producing behind the decks.”
The Africa Oyé Festival takes place on 20 and 21 June 2026 in Liverpool’s Sefton Park.
Attendees can expect a diverse weekend of music featuring everything from Afro-synth and Afro-disco to reggae, roots, and bass music.
Tickets are available for both days via the official festival website.
