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Grammy-winning American singer-songwriter Leon Bridges is heading to South Africa for two concerts this November. He kicks off his time in Mzansi with a show at Marks Park in Johannesburg on Saturday 28 November, before plugging in at Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden in Cape Town on Monday, 30 November. The two dates mark the acclaimed Texas musician’s long-awaited South African debut.
“I’ve wanted to play South Africa for a long time, and I’m really excited to finally make it there, especially with this album, for these two special shows,” says Bridges. “I can’t wait to share the music with everyone.”
From Coming Home to Cape Town
Bridges broke through internationally with his 2015 debut Coming Home, its warm vintage soul introducing one of the most distinctive voices in modern R&B. Songs including ‘River’, ‘Coming Home’, ‘Smooth Sailin’’ and ‘Better Man’ quickly established his signature sound, but Bridges has spent the decade since steadily stretching beyond that retro-soul tag.
Good Thing brought funk and contemporary R&B into the mix, while 2021’s Gold-Diggers Sound leaned into a moodier blend of R&B, jazz and alternative influences. His self-titled Leon followed in 2024.
Along the way there have also been his hugely successful collaborations with Texas psychedelic-funk trio Khruangbin, including the Texas Sun and Texas Moon EPs. Bridges won his first Grammy in 2019, taking home Best Traditional R&B Performance for ‘Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand’.
A new sound for Happiness Anytime
The South African tour follows the arrival of Bridges’ fifth studio album, Happiness Anytime, which drops on 25 September 2026. And if Coming Home looked lovingly backwards, the new record appears determined to cast the net even wider.
Produced by J Lloyd and Lydia Kitto of Jungle, Happiness Anytime combines the warmth of Bridges’ early work with the looser groove of his Khruangbin collaborations. Its musical reference points stretch from Fela Kuti and Brazilian musician Jorge Ben to the globe-trotting rhythms of Paul Simon’s The Rhythm of the Saints.
More importantly, Bridges says the album is about rediscovering movement. With Happiness Anytime he wanted to get back to making songs people could move to: music that offers a little escape from modern life.
“For me, happiness is not a feeling that you chase,” says Bridges. “I want this album to be something that lingers with people and lingers in people’s bones.”
That should translate particularly well to a summer evening beneath the mountain at Kirstenbosch, or at Marks Park.
Bridges has long had the live credentials to back up the records. He has appeared as musical guest on Saturday Night Live, performed for NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert and Austin City Limits, and played festival and concert stages around the world.
Leon Bridges Presents: The Happiness Anytime Tour
Johannesburg
- When: Saturday, 28 November 2026
- Where: Marks Park, Emmarentia, Johannesburg
- Time: 2pm – 10pm
- Tickets: From R795 (excluding booking fees) via Webtickets
Cape Town
- When: Monday, November 30, 2026
- Where: Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, Newlands
- Time: 6pm–10pm
Tickets: From R995 (excluding booking fees) via Webtickets. All tickets on sale from 9am, Thursday September 24
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