Kenyans turned out in their thousands this past weekend for the September 2025 edition of Blankets & Wine, continuing the popular tradition of sherehe ni sheria.
The action-packed festival unfolded at Laureate Gardens, Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, drawing a massive crowd eager for music, culture, and spectacle.
The main stage was headlined by Grammy Award-winning Nigerian singer Tems, whose arrival electrified the audience.
Clad in a flowing white two-piece suit adorned with elegant jewelry, she captivated revelers with her signature sound and commanding stage presence.
Screams and cheers echoed across the venue as she belted out hit after hit, including Love Me Jeje, Burning, Wickedest, Free Fall, Crazy Tings, and Free Mind.
Tems performing Damages at Blanket & Wine ??
The crowd energy >>>> pic.twitter.com/9MBVewsTHW
— Tems POV?️ (@temspov) September 28, 2025
Tems praised the Kenyan crowd for their unmatched energy. “I love you guys. This is the most energy I have received in Africa. Will you guys adopt me?” she asked playfully, sparking excitement.
She went further, teasing that she might even relocate.
“I want to move to Kenya; I want to stay here. I might even find a boo here,” she added to deafening cheers.
True to her interactive style, Tems stepped off the stage to join fans mid-performance, at one point picking out a festival-goer who impressed the crowd by singing along to her lyrics. Smiling and dancing throughout, she made the night unforgettable for many.
Online, fans could not hold back their praise as videos and photos quickly circulated.
One Instagram user, Mukasa, gushed, “Now this is the value for money.” Another, Sarah Cherono, admired the star’s fashion sense, writing, “Aki Tems dresses so well.”
Clarkson added simply, “I enjoyed every bit of this event.”
Notably, others hit out at the organisers of the event, citing bad sound.
@Kendi_PN wrote, “Blankets in a nutshell: Terrible service, Bad sound, Too big a crowd. Should’ve gotten an MC. At some point, the stage was empty for 1 hr, and the crowd didn’t know wassup,”
Nonetheless, the festival also featured a powerhouse lineup.
Ugandan sensation Joshua Baraka delivered an electrifying set before being joined unexpectedly by Kenyan star Bien, whose surprise entrance in black leather drew thunderous applause.
Other standout acts included We Are Nubia, Zaituni, Flier, Billy Black, Toxic Lyrikali, and Chimano, while the OnjaOnja stage spotlighted emerging talents such as Akoth Jumadi, Ite, Ghedi, Santa, Hiribae, Bune, Coco Khai, Mr Lu, and DJ Paps.
The September edition of Blankets & Wine, however, still reaffirmed its status as East Africa’s premier live music festival, combining international stardom with homegrown talent for a night that fans described as pure magic.