Daytime events are increasingly growing in popularity as they offer something that no other groove space does – connection. A trio of best friends came together amid lockdown to create what is now a frequently sold-out series of brunch events. Homie.Lover.Friend trio Phola, Lungi and Qhawe take us through the journey of putting together the ultimate brunch experience.

Homie.Lover.Friend is known for the welcoming, carefree and cool ambience you create. How do you decide on key decisions such as venue, performers and event partners?

We hinge the decision making process on striving to give our attendees a fresh pairing. One of the first steps is making sure that the curation brings feeling and serendipity through choosing the right space. We also look to create with  performers that have eccentricity to communicate the cultural zeitgeist.

I’m interested in knowing how everyone pulls in together to make HLF. So, within the partnership who deals with what?

Homie.Lover.Friend is based on our friendship and love for our music.  We each have a unique role tailored to our strengths which comes together beautifully.  Phola plays the role of account manager and digital marketer; Lungi plays the role of art director and project manager and Qhawe plays the role of events manager, strategist and copywriter.

Speaking of partnership, HLF has recently partnered with J&B, an iconic whisky that has legacy status. How are you injecting newness and novelty into the partnership in a way that is authentic to both you and the brand?

It is all about the guest experience. As brands, we share the same values and it comes across in our expressions. To successfully grow and enhance the experience for our guests, our events have been centered around creating new memories over good food,  great drinks and music.

It is imperative that we cultivate relationships with brand partners that are willing to help us associate their brand with shared savoured moments and J&B has displayed these characteristics with us thus far.

Your lineups are a mix of artists – how do you curate it?

All-encompassing is one way to describe it. We continuously strive to have an eclectic line-up that touches on multiple genres ranging from jazz, house, and soulful R&B. It’s about creating a balance between what we love now and what we loved then.

I haven’t been to HLF, this one will be my first. How do you ensure everyone enjoys HLF?

Before going live with the various elements such as food, drinks and music, we always try to put ourselves in the experience of the attendee. It allows us to troubleshoot well from a hospitality perspective. Our goals is to always host our guests in the same way that we would like to be hosted.

As the popular saying goes, ‘ show, so that they may do’. We can try explaining, but it is just something you have toexperience for yourself. Be sure to pop into the upcoming Homie.Lover.Friend brunch on the 19th of February at Sir James Van Der Merwe from 12pm. It promises brunch and booze in a way that has never been done before.

*Drink Responsibly. Not for Persons Under the Age of 18.