Doja Cat, an American singer, performed at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa on Friday, March 20 as part of the Global Citizen Move Afrika tour.
When Doja Cat made her South African debut, the evening was filled with a unique kind of emotion.
There was excitement, but also something deeper as she performed in South Africa marking a significant homecoming to the country of her father’s heritage. 
Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, the Grammy Award-winning artist popularly known as Doja Cat shared a visible bond with the audience. That connection peaked when the audience chanted her Zulu name, ‘Zandile’, which caused a shift in her energy as she took it in.
The crowd did more than just welcome her; they claimed her as their own. And in return, she leaned into the moment, visibly moved by the real-time connection.
“For a place that I have never been to, I feel like I have been here before,” she told the audience.
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“That is what makes South Africa special. I want to thank everyone here tonight. This moment is bigger than me and bigger than everyone in this room.”
She took a pause, letting the cheers settle before continuing, “Please make some noise for Global Citizen for making this possible. This has been one of the most enjoyable shows I have ever done, and I am grateful it happened here.”
Move Afrika’s 2026 edition is a campaign advocating for improved health systems throughout Africa.
It is Global Citizen’s pan-African touring initiative that aims to address global inequities by providing job and entrepreneurship opportunities to the continent’s emerging generations through an annual series of live music events.
Prior to each event, Global Citizen work with local partners to advocate for African countries to improve primary care, sexual and reproductive health and rights, invest in health resilience, and lower financial barriers to public health by leveraging the potential of live music to expand the creator economy and improve access to healthcare.
Move Afrika brings the best of Africa to the world by driving transformative investments within local communities, involving local artists, vendors, agencies, and crews, and creating opportunities for on-the-job skill development.
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