It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the South African music industry, all thanks to the man of the moment Cassper Nyovest, who filled FNB Stadium in Soweto on Saturday night.
The 27-year-old sold more than 68000 tickets for the iconic #FillUpFNBStadium concert at Africa’s biggest stadium and is now set on filling Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Nyovest fell short by 7000 tickets after he had set a target of 75000.
Refiloe Maele Phoolo, whose stage name is Cassper, thrilled fans by giving them a magical stage presence and authentic outfit changes.
“This dream was bigger than me and South Africa showed up. When Africans unite we make magic. Thank you to everyone who made history with me,” said Nyovest.
His dream of bringing South Africans together started with his first trademark “Fill Up” concert at The Dome where 20000 fans attended in 2015. In 2016, he filled the Orlando Stadium.
This dream would not have been made possible without the help of many other people and organisations willing to help him achieve his ambitious goal to make history, he said.
Tinyiko Mageza, head of marketing retails and business banking South Africa at Standard Bank, said the bank was excited to be part of the entertainer’s attempt to fill one of Africa’s iconic stadiums and that the sponsorship for this historic event was written in the stars.
Mageza said: “We are here to support a young African artist, Cassper Nyovest, to show that anything is possible.
“We are here to show that no matter how big or audacious, bold or daring your next step is you can really make it happen if you have the right partners co-piloting with you and helping you stir your life to greatness.
“As a country, we followed Cassper’s journey from one ‘next’ to the other For us it represented the epitome of what a ‘next’ is all about. As a bank, in May we put our hands up and asked the question to all South Africans, ‘What is your next?’,” said Mageza.
He added that it was “quite a complex machine” that had pulled such a big concert together.
In the run-up to the concert, sponsors such as Ciroc, Standard Bank, SABC1, Budweiser and at the last moment, the Department of Arts and Culture, came on board.
Taking to social media just a few hours before his ground-breaking venture Fill Up FNB Stadium, the Tito Mboweni hit-maker announced: “We just got another major sponsor Boi!
“The Department of Arts and Culture will be funding #FillFnbStadium! Their consistent support from last year and this year is overwhelming! I can’t express how happy I am!”
Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa tweeted that the artist used his platform to encourage the youth to preserve and promote African arts and culture.
Fans from all over the country were excited to be part of making history, such as Khethiwe Sibeko, Refilwe Matsoso and Busisiwe Vilakazi.
The three youngsters said this was their first “Fill Up” concert and they had expected nothing short of an amazing performance from their favourite musician.
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