Isaiah Rashad and Sinéad Harnett Are Coming to South Africa for In The City
After an unforgettable Johannesburg edition that gave us Snoh Aalegra, 6LACK and Ayra Starr, In The City is back. This time, Isaiah Rashad, Rum.Gold and Sinéad Harnett are heading to South Africa for two shows, with Johannesburg getting its turn on Sunday, 4 October.
Serge Ngoyi Tshienda
August 25, 2026
The last time In The City came to Johannesburg, the line-up included Snoh Aalegra, 6LACK, Ayra Starr and Lloyiso.
It was a good day for music at Montecasino, with each artist bringing a different audience, vibe and sound to the stage
This October, In The City returns with a different line-up and, for the first time, two South African dates.
Two Cities, Two Shows
In The City will take place in Cape Town and Johannesburg across the first weekend of October.
The Cape Town show takes place on Saturday, 3 October 2026, at The Ostrich.
The following day, the event moves to Johannesburg.
The Joburg edition takes place on Sunday, 4 October 2026, at the Montecasino Outdoor Events Arena.
Both shows will feature Isaiah Rashad, Rum.Gold and Sinéad Harnett, marking the first time both artists will perform in South Africa.
While the two cities will share the line-up, the Johannesburg date carries a little more context. The last In The City show here gave the event something to live up to.
Isaiah Rashad Is Bringing His Tour to South Africa
Isaiah Rashad's Johannesburg appearance is part of his Lil Sunny's Awful Road Trip.
The tour has taken the TDE rapper across the United States, with South Africa joining the itinerary for two dates in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
That makes these shows more than a one-off festival appearance.
South Africa is part of the tour.
Rashad has spent the last decade building a catalogue that has earned him one of the more dedicated followings in contemporary hip-hop. His music is often reflective and personal, drawing from his Southern roots while moving between different sounds and moods.
Projects like Cilvia Demo, The Sun's Tirade and The House Is Burning have become important releases for his fans, with songs such as Heavenly Father, Free Lunch, Wat's Wrong, 4r Da Squaw and Headshots continuing to hold their place in his catalogue.
For South African fans, these October dates will be the first opportunity to see Rashad perform here.
Cape Town gets him first.
Johannesburg follows the next day.
Sinéad Harnett Joins the Line-Up
Joining Isaiah Rashad on both dates is British singer Sinéad Harnett.
Harnett has quietly built an impressive catalogue over the years, moving between R&B, soul and pop while keeping her songwriting personal and direct.
Her music has found an audience well beyond the UK, particularly among listeners drawn to contemporary R&B that leans more towards storytelling and emotion than chasing whatever sound is having a moment.
Songs like If You Let Me, Body, Unconditional and Ready Is Always Too Late have helped build that connection.
Her addition also continues something that has become familiar with In The City's programming.
The line-ups tend to move between worlds.
Hip-hop sits next to R&B. Soul sits next to Afrobeats. The artists may come from different places, but there is usually a thread connecting the music and the people who show up for it.
From Rocking the Daisies to Its Own Identity
In The City has changed since it first launched in Johannesburg.
Originally introduced as an extension of Rocking the Daisies, the event has since developed its own identity and history.
Over the years, its stages have hosted artists including Mac Miller, The 1975, Mura Masa, FKJ, Aminé, Majid Jordan, Smino, Jacob Banks, Summer Walker, Jessie Reyez, Snoh Aalegra, Ayra Starr and 6LACK.
This year's edition arrives after a change in plans for Isaiah Rashad's South African visit.
The rapper was initially announced for Rocking the Daisies before the festival was cancelled. His South African shows, however, remained on the calendar, with In The City confirming the Cape Town and Johannesburg dates.
For fans who thought they might have missed the opportunity to see him, the announcement meant the trip was still happening.
The Johannesburg Date
Cape Town gets the first show on Saturday.
Johannesburg gets the second on Sunday.
The Montecasino Outdoor Events Arena has already hosted a memorable In The City edition, and this year's show arrives with a very different energy.
There is Isaiah Rashad, performing in South Africa for the first time as part of his Lil Sunny's Awful Road Trip.
Then there is Sinéad Harnett, making her own South African debut. And rum.gold returns to South Africa after first visiting the country in 2023, when he performed intimate shows in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
It is not a repeat of last year's line-up, and it does not need to be.
The artists are different. The music is different. The audience will probably be different too.
But if the last Johannesburg edition showed anything, it is that In The City has found a way to bring together artists whose music already means something to the people in the room.
In The City Johannesburg: Event Details
Date: Sunday, 4 October 2026
Venue: Montecasino Outdoor Events Arena
Location: Fourways, Johannesburg
Time: From 12 PM
Line-Up
- Isaiah Rashad
- Sinéad Harnett
- Nasty C
- rum.gold
- Marcus Harvey
