By Phumzile Ndlovu
MANZINI – New York City-born vocalist Monique Bingham has officially been added to the lineup for the highly anticipated House Musiq Fest, set to take place on March 29, 2025 at the Manzini Club.
This addition comes as a welcome surprise to fans who were disappointed by her absence at last year’s event, and it promises to elevate the festival experience to new heights. The House Musiq Fest has already begun generating significant buzz across the region, attracting music enthusiasts from Eswatini, South Africa, Mozambique, and beyond.
With its reputation for showcasing top-tier talent, this year’s festival is shaping up to be a spectacular celebration of house music that no fan will want to miss. The lineup is particularly impressive, featuring acclaimed South African artists such as Brandon Dhludhlu June Jazzin, and Vinny Da Vinci*, alongside a selection of Eswatini’s finest talents, including DJ Crooks, The Scientists, Speech Umlangeni*, and Wigo*.
The addition of Monique Bingham to the festival lineup is particularly noteworthy. Bingham, a luminary in the music industry for over two decades, has made an indelible mark on the house music genre. Her journey began in 1995 as the frontwoman of the acid jazz ensemble Abstract Truth, whose debut single “Get Another Plan” garnered international acclaim under Gilles Peterson’s label, Talkin Loud. The subsequent release, “We Had a Thing,” became a soulful house classic, thanks in part to a captivating remix by German producer Matthias Heilbronn* and its inclusion in DJ Fresh’s “House Flava” compilation.
While house music remained largely underground in the United States, Bingham’s influence soared within South Africa’s burgeoning scene. Her collaboration with Ralf Gum in 2012 on “Take Me To My Love” became a standout hit, further solidifying her status as a key figure in the genre.
