HALLELUJAH ANYWAY – A dance party of defiant joy.

Many of us have a creeping sense that the world as we know it is unraveling. That the ground is shifting under our feet.

Hallelujah Anyway is a celebration born for this moment. A dance party in the Deep South and a collective act of joy and defiance. A space where we choose celebration in the face of crisis. Through dance, music, art, and community, we praise life itself: lifting each other up, finding strength in togetherness, and remembering that sometimes the best answer is simply to dance.

Join us for the first instalment of Hallelujah Anyway on Saturday 13th of June at Merchant & Maker in Kommetjie for a long night of deep grooves — house, disco, techno, and the spaces in between.

Behind the decks:

Ultra-Mel: With 16+ years behind the decks, Ultra-Mel has played to thousands across Southern Africa, sharing line-ups with the likes of Freshly Ground, Mango Groove, & GoodLuck. Co-hosting with Basmati1234 in the Hallelujah Anyway series, she will be exploring disco, electro, funk, and melodic techno, all while giggling with the crowd.

Basmati1234: Shaped by London and Berlin’s dance music scenes since the early 2000s, Basmati1234 moves across house, techno, disco, and progressive — always with an ear for atmosphere and momentum. As co-creator of Hallelujah Anyway with Ultra-Mel, he treats the dancefloor as a place of praise.

Oli & Orly: The collaboration of DJs Orly Maya and Oliver Barnett, weaving deep, melodic journeys across organic house, desert tech, and electronic grooves. One of Cape Town’s favourite DJ duo, Oli & Orly take the dance floor on a journey of deep flow with many unexpected delights along the way.

Senzu will be providing a bar serving delicious mocktails with magical microdose infusions. Alcohol is BYO.

“Hard times call for furious dancing” – Alice Walker

Hallelujah, anyway!