Hallelujah Anyway

Hallelujah Anyway is a celebration born for our times. We live in an age of upheaval, breakdown, and uncertainty. This party is a collective act of joy and defiance: a space where we choose celebration in the face of crisis. Through dance, music, art, and community, we praise life itself - lifting each other up, finding strength in togetherness, and remembering that sometimes the best answer is simply to dance.

Hallelujah, anyway is created by:

Basmati1234 has been shaped by electronic music since the early 2000s, when the sounds of London and Berlin first activated his passion for dance music. From the era of Fabric or T-Bar to the early days of Bar 25 or Panorama Bar, his musical taste was formed between deep dancefloor culture and a lifelong habit of collecting tracks. After years of playing mostly for friends, private gatherings, and the occasional extended after-hours, Basmati1234 is now stepping more fully into sharing music publicly. His sets move across house, techno, disco, progressive, and the spaces in between - always with an ear for atmosphere, emotion, and momentum. At the heart of his playing is a simple intention: to create a journey that brings people into aliveness and connection. As co-creator of ‘Hallelujah Anyway’ alongside Ultra Mel, he sees the dancefloor not as escape, but as a place of praise - a way of celebrating life itself, together, in uncertain times.

Ultra-Mel has been behind the decks for over 16 years, with a musical foundation rooted in multiple genres, eras, and dancefloor cultures. A full-time DJ for more than five years, she played to thousands of people across Southern Africa, honing an instinctive ability to read a crowd and co-create dancefloors that pulse with energy, connection, and joy. From Johannesburg to the Kruger National Park, the Midlands to Cape Town, Sun City to Inhaca Island in Mozambique, Ultra-Mel has brought her signature vibe to stages and festivals across the region. Along the way, she has shared line-ups with celebrated acts including Ndlovu Youth Choir, Mango Groove, Freshlyground, Watershed, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Flash Republic, and GoodLuck. Now, in collaboration with Basmati1234, Ultra-Mel is diving deeper into rich electronic and sonic landscapes, blending gritty basslines, and hypnotic uplifting grooves - from disco to electro, funk to melodic techno. One of her greatest passions is acting as the giggly conduit between the music and the crowd, and getting to share in the elation that happens when it all comes together beautifully.