Tour News - Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 tour NZ and the first act announced for Winter Series - 18th March 2026
Nigerian musician, singer and songwriter Seun Kuti returns to Aotearoa after previously headling WOMAD in 2009 and 2016. The youngest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, he is the first act to be announced for the Winter Series at Auckland Town Hall this May, before heading to Wellington’s Meow Nui, and will joined by his father’s former band Egypt 80.
The Winter Series returns for its second year; a curated concert series brought to you by Live Nation in association with Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, on behalf of Auckland Council Events. Showcasing impressive international acts alongside some of Aotearoa’s most beloved artists in Tāmaki Makaurau this May. Sign up to the waitlist to find out more: www.livenation.co.nz/auckland-winter-series
Tickets go on sale to the public on Monday 23rd March at 1pm local time.
The Live Nation Presale starts Friday 20th March, 12pm, until Monday 23rd March, 12pm local time or until allocation is exhausted. To purchase presale tickets, sign up now at livenation.co.nz/register
For complete tour and ticket information, visit livenation.co.nz
Seun Kuti is a Nigerian musician, singer, and songwriter renowned for his captivating performances and socially conscious music. He is the youngest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti. Seun has spent most of his life preserving and extending his father’s political and musical legacy as the leader of his father’s former band Egypt 80. As a developing saxophonist and percussionist, he entered the formal ranks of the band before he was 12. In 1997 when Fela passed, in fulfilment of his father’s wishes, Seun assumed the mantle as head of Egypt 80 and he has run it ever since. As a musician and pan-African activist, Seun has been involved in a number of campaigns in recent years, including #OccupyNigeria and #EndSARS – a social movement against police brutality in Nigeria. Significantly, he’s revived the Movement of the People (M.O.P.), the political party his father set up in 1979, which was quashed by the military government not long after Fela’s failed presidential bid.
‘Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head)’ is the highly-awaited new album by Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 published on October 4th 2024, via Milan independent label Record Kicks. Coming six years after the Grammy nominated album ‘Black Times’, this album marks a pivotal moment in Seun Kuti’s illustrious career, showcasing his evolution as an artist and activist. Executive produced by legendary musician Lenny Kravitz and Fela Kuti’s original engineer Sodi Marciszewer (artistic producer) and featuring special guests as Damian Marley and Sampa The Great.
On May 30 2025, Seun Kuti shares the highly anticipated Deluxe Edition of "Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head)" via Record Kicks. Seun expands the sonic and political scope of the original album, presenting a compelling suite of remixes, reworks, and new collaborations that bring fresh perspectives to his message of resistance, empowerment, and cultural pride. The stellar collaborations include new jazz giant Kamasi Washington on “Move (Keep Moving Version),” French-Caribbean goddess Adi Oasis on “Love & Revolution (Cinnamon Version),” Zambian rapper and revolutionary poet Sampa The Great on “Emi Aluta (Zamrock Remix),” the legendary Pos of De La Soul on “Stand Well Well (Grand Stand Version)”, UK duo Gaudi & Don Letts on the disco dub remix of “Dey” feat. Damian Marley and reggae star on “T.O.P. (Over The Top Version)”.
During his career, Seun Kuti released other 4 albums with Egypt 80: ‘Many Things’ (2008), ‘From Africa with Fury: Rise for Knitting Factory Records’ (2011), coproduced by Brian Eno and John Reynolds, ‘A Long Way Beginning’ (2014) and the Grammy nominated ‘Black Times’ (2018) that included a feature from Carlos Santana. He also released numerous EPs. In 2022, Seun Kuti joined forces with Roots frontman and MC extraordinaire Black Thought in the EP ‘African Dreams’. In 2023, he collaborated on Janelle Monae’s ‘The Age of Pleasure’ (Grammy nominee for Album Of The Year) with the two singles ‘Float’; and ‘Knows Better’; teamed up with Talib Kweli and MadLib for their album ‘Liberation 2’ on the song ‘Nat Turner’ featuring Cassper Nyovest and released a new version of the single ‘Bad Man Lighter’ with Black Thought, featuring Vic Mensa.
Seun Kuti has started a side project, which looks to Afrobeats music, with his alter ego BigBird, together with Nigerian rapper Vector, releasing the singles "OOP (S)" with Odumodublvck and "The Matter".
SEUN KUTI & EGYPT 80
AUCKLAND TOWN HALL, AUCKLAND - AS PART OF THE WINTER SERIES
SATURDAY 30th MAY
MEOW NUI, WELLINGTON
SUNDAY 31st MAY
TICKETS GO ON SALE ON MONDAY 23rd MARCH AT 1PM LOCAL TIMELi
ve Nation Presale Friday 20th March, 12pm, until Monday 23rd March, 12pm local time.
For complete tour and ticket information, visit: livenation.co.nz
