Photo via the Twenty One Children Facebook page
The Great Escape Festival, despite its controversies over the last year, has chalked up a reputation for being a pivotal platform to discover the raw pulse of underground music, and in its 2025 edition, we are about to witness the arrival of a force that has been bubbling up in the backwaters of an unexpected corner of the world. As the festival expands to include an extra day – kicking off on May 14th – over 130 groundbreaking artists will bring their sounds to Brighton, and among them, one of South Africa’s finest punk exports: Twenty One Children.
Hailing from the vibrant heart of Soweto, this explosive skate-punk outfit is here to bring an audacious energy to the global stage that’s been simmering for decades in the streets and skateparks of South Africa’s largest township. Behind the trio’s rabid concoction of blistering riffs, hyperactive rhythms and frenzied bellows lies a spirit and history rich in resistance and freedom.
Before the dawn of democracy in South Africa in 1994, artists of colour harnessed music, poetry, and art as powerful tools of resistance, fiercely opposing the brutal system of apartheid. Iconic figures like Hugh Masekela, Brenda Fassie, and Miriam Makeba became the voice of defiance, using their craft to sustain momentum and fuel the shift toward a more confrontational struggle in the 1980s. Local, exiled, and international musicians alike transformed their songs into anthems of rebellion, defying censorship and repression while providing a powerful soundtrack to the era. Music’s emotional impact galvanised the fight against the apartheid regime from peaceful protest to militant defiance – and Soweto was a cradle for this revolution.
This defiance has not confined itself to history books or songs – it has reverberated into the 21st century, taking on new forms in new contexts.
Skate culture in Soweto, which began in the early 2000s, emerged as a form of rebellion and self-expression, providing young people of colour an escape from a system that marginalised their voices. What started as a small group of skaters evolved into a tight-knit subculture, paving the way for a unique punk scene in the township. In 2010, the formation of Skate Society Soweto, led by figures like Mbuso “Moose” Zulu and Thulasizwe Nkosi (now the guitarist for Twenty One Children), marked a pivotal moment in this cultural shift. As skaters organized events, the scene became a space for creative freedom, with many forming punk bands. Punk’s DIY ethos resonated with skaters and provided a platform for young South Africans of colour to voice their frustrations with government, unemployment, and inequality, offering a form of resistance against systemic injustices.
South Africa’s punk ecosystem is thriving, and it’s hardly a surprise.
At the helm of this movement in 2025 stands Twenty One Children, fronted by Abdula Skink, who leads the sweaty cacophony provided by guitarist Thulasizwe Nkosi (Thula) and drummer Valentino “Jazz” Nkosi. While Jazz and Thula are seasoned veterans of Soweto’s skate punk scene, their formation of the band in 2022 with the charismatic Abdula has seen their meteoric rise to prominence – the band’s sheer, raw talent is undeniable, and their commanding live performances will blow the socks off even the most seasoned moshers.
Their performance at The Great Escape 2025 is a historic moment, not just for the band, but for the Soweto punk scene. For the first time, the world will bear witness to the raw, untamed sound of Soweto skate-punk, a genre that has long thrived in the shadows but fully deserves to stand front and centre. Twenty One Children is bringing the sound of their streets to the global stage – an unfiltered, unflinching reminder that punk is a force without boundaries, constantly disrupting and re-contextualising itself.
For anyone lucky enough to be in Brighton this May, witnessing Twenty One Children live is more than just a concert; it’s an invitation to experience the raw, rebellious spirit of a subculture that’s breaking barriers. This moment marks the beginning of something monumental—a cultural revolution years in the making, and the world is finally getting a chance to listen. Soweto punk is here, and it’s ready to rupture your eardrums and light a fire within you.
See the full festival lineup HERE.
