Proms 2026 Under African Skies: The Songs of ‘Graceland’

Celebrate the 40th anniversary of Graceland – Paul Simon’s Grammy Award-winning, era-defining album – in a concert featuring Simon’s original collaborators Ladysmith Black Mambazo (making its Royal Albert Hall Proms debut) and special guest artists. Defying Apartheid-era restrictions, Graceland not only featured Black South African musicians but also introduced global audiences to the country’s music. Forty years on we trace the album’s influences and echoes.

There will be no interval

Recorded for broadcast on BBC TV and iPlayer

Ladysmith Black Mambazo © Ladysmith Black Mambazo