Born in Dubai but rooted in African identity, House of Yanos is entering a defining new phase — one that brings its diaspora-built energy back to the continent with intention and cultural clarity. What started as a nightlife concept in the Gulf has evolved into a community-led platform shaped by music, movement and shared identity, now expanding through its traveling experience, Best of Both Worlds.
Framed as a multi-city rollout beginning in Kenya and moving across Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana and South Africa, the initiative signals something deeper than growth. For the collective, this is a homecoming — a deliberate reconnection with the cultures and sounds that inspired its foundation.
At the core of this next chapter is a philosophy of duality: balancing representation and evolution, local nuance and global perspective. Best of Both Worlds reflects that approach, moving beyond traditional, lineup-driven events to focus on curation, storytelling and the energy of the room. It’s about creating spaces where different sounds, scenes and communities can exist together — and move as one.
To unpack this next phase, we sat down with the House of Yanos team – Toqsic (Founder), GB (Co-Founder, Operations), Saint Waldo (Co-Founder, Creative Director), and Grace (Co-Founder, Marketing) – to discuss diaspora lessons, cultural alignment, and what it means to build a global platform rooted in African identity.
Billboard Africa: House of Yanos was born in Dubai. What did building in the diaspora teach you about African music culture that you’re now bringing back to the continent?
Toqsic: Authenticity. One key thing we’ve realized is that there is so much beauty in being truly who you are. Taking moments to celebrate where you come from, and expressing your culture in a foreign land, makes you feel special and unique. Coming back home, for us, is about reconnecting and building more bridges. It’s about letting creatives, artists, and DJs know that we are here in the Middle East, ready to welcome them whenever they want to explore this part of the world.
Best of Both Worlds positions itself as more than just a party. What does that mean to you in practice – and how does it show up in the experience you’re creating?
Toqsic: Best of Both Worlds is more than an event — it’s a statement. For too long, we felt confined to a box within the region; the assumption being that as Africans, our musical knowledge begins and ends with African music. Best of Both Worlds is our answer to that — a showcase of our broader palette across music and entertainment. Equally important was the division we witnessed on dance floors, driven by differences in musical taste. We set out to challenge that. The result is a carefully curated, multi-genre experience designed to give each genre its moment — all under one roof, and all as one.
There’s a clear lineage from concepts like Jerk & Jollof and Everyday People. How are you building on that foundation while carving out something distinctly House of Yanos?
Toqsic: Both brands have done a remarkable job paving the way for a new generation of travel and experience companies. We are fortunate to know and learn from both founders firsthand — and their dedication to building a truly global community is evident in everything they do. The shift from entertainer-driven events to experience-driven events has never been clearer than in the world of travel parties. The event itself becomes the headline act — and audiences are showing up for the journey, not just the lineup.
With Best of Both Worlds, we are bringing an authentic House of Yanos experience to the forefront — because at its core, this event is the truest reflection of who we are: the version of us that has built a life in Dubai, and the version of us that will always be rooted in the Motherland.
You’ve described this expansion into Africa as “alignment” rather than growth. What needed to align before making this move?
Saint Waldo: For us, it was never just about expansion; it had to feel like alignment. Our growth has been intentional, built through collaborations that reflect the same story and values we stand for.
At the same time, the global appreciation for African music has been rising, and we’ve been part of that journey within the diaspora. Moving into Africa felt like a natural next step, a homecoming rather than a new frontier. Now it’s about bringing back an experience that’s already been embraced abroad and reconnecting it with the audience at home, in a way that feels authentic and full circle.
You’re expanding to Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana and South Africa. What informed those choices, and what does success look like in each locale?
GB: Firstly, success is being there. Being where the music we thrive from originates. It’s like going back home during the holidays and doing what you do from where it originates. Success in the every country we go either feels like a homecoming or in unfamiliar markets, it’s a duty of care to create an experience we know from home. Everyone wants “Africa to the world,” but we want the world to Africa. So being there will always be a success to us regardless of anything else.
As you tap into local scenes, how do you ensure that House of Yanos collaborates with, rather than overrides, the existing cultural ecosystems in these markets?
GB: By being tapped in. Sometimes you need to acknowledge you are the visitor and you need to understand if you need to take off your shoes at the door or not. We have a duty of care to every market we visit so we ensure we understand what the local scene is like in terms of the artists, culture nuances and more. It’s one of the reasons we created Best of Both Worlds. It’s our way to do what we do and introduce something else that resonates culturally. So, yes. Collaboration is always the mission and it will always be enforced by understanding where we are going to and how we fit into what’s going on there.
Community is central to your vision. In an era where nightlife is increasingly commercialised, how do you protect the authenticity and intimacy of the spaces you’re building?
Saint Waldo: Community only works when it’s protected with intent. For us, that means curating experiences that genuinely reflect the people and culture at our core — not just programming for scale, but for connection. We diversify our events so each one serves a distinct energy and audience, rather than forcing everything into a single commercial mould. We’re also deliberate about intimacy: some experiences are limited by design — smaller spaces, tighter crowds, more thoughtful storytelling. Most importantly, everything ties back to home and the culture that inspires us. That grounding keeps it honest. It’s how we grow without losing the essence of what made people connect with us in the first place.
If you had an unlimited budget, who would be your top 5 acts to book?
Grace: If I had to lock in a top 5, it would be DBN Gogo, Scorpion Kings, Young Stunna, Zee Nxumalo and Freddy K. That’s a perfect balance of energy, vocals, and the deeper side of Amapiano. But honestly I can’t help myself, in my head it turns into a full 12-hour experience. You bring in someone like Nandipha808 to bring that raw, street-rooted Amapiano energy, and Tyla to add that crossover moment. For me it’s never just about names, it’s about telling the story of the sound from start to finish.
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