South African Acapella Group, The Joy, Celebrated for Performance with Doja Cat at Coachella

INDIO, CALIFORNIA — The Joy, an acapella group from Durban, South Africa, has garnered international acclaim after performing alongside American musician Doja Cat at the Coachella music festival. Their Sunday night performance featured a striking mashup of Doja Cat’s single "Shutcho," sung in Zulu with a "gorgeous" five-part harmony, as described by Billboard.

The collaboration not only highlighted The Joy's vocal prowess but also served as a tribute to Doja Cat’s heritage, with her father being South African. This performance, interpreted by critics as a meaningful nod to her roots, was particularly significant as Doja Cat made history as the first female rapper to headline Coachella, or any major annual music festival in the US.

The Joy's participation in the event has been praised by South Africans on social media, celebrating their representation of South African culture on a global stage. The group themselves took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their excitement: "What a moment."

The performance attracted a live audience of nearly 100,000 at Coachella’s main stage and was also livestreamed to thousands more, marking a significant milestone as The Joy is believed to be the first South African group to perform on this prominent platform.

Coachella, held annually in the California desert, is one of the biggest and most prestigious music festivals in the US, drawing thousands of attendees eager to see some of the world’s biggest acts. The Joy’s remarkable performance at this event not only showcases their talent but also places them among the rising stars of the international music scene.