Friday Night Live is a series of beautiful, intimate performances from some of the most exciting talent Cape Town and South Africa has to offer, hosted at the KAYA Café. It’s an event for performers to take in their own direction, creating an environment for audiences to engage deeply with the music, the meaning, and the people behind it all.

BLVQ IRIS & The Crossroads is a genre-blending jazz hip hop ensemble rooted in the raw, soulful soundscape of Cape Town. Their music merges trap, jazz, Xhosa rap, blues, and alternative R&B into a striking sonic narrative – one that captures both the vibrancy and the complexity of life in the Mother City. Their name draws meaning from the literal and symbolic crossroads: a place where cultures, rhythms, and lived experiences collide; and a direct nod to Crossroads township in Nyanga, one of the most challenged yet resilient communities in Cape Town.

Through this fusion, the band crafts a sound that is emotionally dense, socially conscious, and unmistakably South African. The collective is led by rapper, producer, and songwriter BLVQ IRIS, whose multilingual delivery, lyrical vulnerability, and sharp social commentary have positioned her as one of the most compelling young voices in the Cape Town hip hop scene. Supported by a powerhouse ensemble of jazz-trained musicians, The Crossroads builds a vivid, cinematic live experience where soulful harmonies meet booming trap drums, jazz improvisation meets township storytelling, and each performance becomes a deep, spiritual immersion into the sound of the city.

The band has performed at notable Cape Town venues and events including headlining The Sunday at The Obscene Parrot, Observatory and performing at Streetopia Festival.

Join us for an amazing experience at The KAYA Cafe 🙂