Nairobi — For those of us who weren't able to make it to the seventh edition of the Sauti za Busara music festival in Zanzibar in February, Bohemia organised a fantastic mini-festival on Valentine's Day at the Double Tree Hotel, featuring three of the festival's popular participants - Tanzania's own Sauda, the soulful Kenyan Maia von Lekow and South African favourite Thandiswa Mazwai. So I forked out my Tsh40,000 ($22.8) for a Valentine's treat to myself.

The Double Tree is a brand new Hilton hotel, located right next door to the Slipway at the T-junction.

I didn't get much of a feel for the interior of the hotel, but the outdoor area is gorgeous, with lovely pools, bar areas, and a jetty that extends out into the ocean.

The concert was held outside on the terrace, under the stars, overlooking the sea.

When we arrived it was nearly empty, but soon enough people started to trickle in.

The show started off with a relaxed, reggae vibe, with Sauda performing songs from her new album Sauti ya Sauda.

Her new hit song Global Crisis (and my favourite of hers) is a political song about her personal struggle during the recent global economic crisis.

Next up was Maia von Lekow, the beautiful and original Kenyan musician.

Her bare feet, easy smile and soft, husky voice got the crowd going, and even got a few people up and dancing.

She played a selection of original songs ranging from folky acoustic ballads to Swahili jazz fusion songs.

Teaming up with her incredible band: guitarist Kato Change, jazz guitarist Nathan Okite, bassist Danz Nirina and drummer Lance Osiro, Maia's upcoming debut album, Drift, is bound to be fantastic.

And then there was Thandiswa. With her eccentric outfit - pink ruffles meets khanga meets tackies; her monumental back-up singers, and her larger-than-life stage presence; she truly stole the show.

Almost instantly after she stepped on stage there was a crowd dancing, singing along, and waving their arms.

Thandiswa was first known for her role as the lead vocalist and songwriter for the award-winning group Bongo Maffin.

Hailed as the sound of "the new South Africa," Bongo Maffin were one of the first groups to perform Kwaito, a purely South African mixture of hiphop, reggae, and house music.

The trio quickly became the most popular group in South Africa, releasing five albums and performing all over the world, sharing the stage with Stevie Wonder, the Marley clan, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and more.

Thandiswa released her first solo album in 2004, and 2009 saw the release of her second solo album, Ibokwe.

She only played a handful of songs at the Double Tree, unfortunately, as everyone wanted more ... but they were all gems. Look for her new album - it is definitely one to look out for.

All in all, it was a great show: well organised and well attended. I'll be on the lookout for more of Bohemia's events in the future.