Six-time Grammy nominee Femi Kuti kicks off his European tour in the Netherlands this week, bringing his Journey Through Life album tour to Dutch audiences. The Afrobeat heavyweight and Nigerian musical icon, known for his signature blend of funk, highlife, and jazz, will be joined by his long-standing band, The Positive Force.
Kuti tells NL Times that the Netherlands has long been a familiar stop in his touring history, dating back to his first performance at Paradiso in Amsterdam in 1989. Reflecting on his connection with Dutch audiences, he noted that he has “always felt very welcomed” in the country, which supported him early on in his international career.
Now 62 years old, Kuti’s live shows still deliver high-energy performances that have defined his performances for decades. He famously uses his music to confront corruption, inequality, and injustice, and yet his latest album, Journey Through Life, offers a more personal dimension.
Alongside his trademark political reflections, Kuti explores themes of family, introspection, and growth. The album was written during a difficult period when his daughter was facing serious health issues.
“It just made me reflect on a lot of things, and on my journey as a father. I love my children very much, and I thought it was important for people to see that,” Kuti says. Family has long played an important role in the musician’s journey, most recently for his 2022 Grammy-nominated album, Legacy +, which he released with his son, Mádé Kuti. But Femi Kuti is perhaps better known for carrying forward the legacy of his late father, Fela Kuti, who earned the title of “King of Afrobeat” for his pioneering work in defining the genre before dying in 1997 at the age of 58.
Fela Kuti was back in the headlines earlier this year when he was posthumously awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys. Femi and his siblings accepted the award on behalf of their father, making Fela Kuti the first African artist to receive the honor.
“It has sealed my father’s legacy in the most prestigious awards in the world,” he tells NL Times. His father’s influence on global music and political expression remains profound, and Femi continues to build on that foundation. Not only has he pushed the genre forward while staying true to his artistic origins, his son, Mádé Kuti, is also continuing the legacy of social commentary.
Femi Kuti and The Positive Force begin the Journey Through Life tour with a run of four dates in the Netherlands: Arnhem on April 2, Alkmaar on April 3, The Hague on April 4, and Maastricht on April 6. Tickets range from 28 to 36 euros, and are available via the respective venues’ websites. The musicians will then continue their tour across Germany, France, Belgium, and the UK.
