Stars flock to Dakar for All-Africa Music Awards

DAKAR : Musical heavyweights gathered in Dakar, Senegal on Sunday for the eighth All-Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) that purpose to have fun and promote the continent’s greatest veteran and cutting-edge musicians.

Globally recognised stars together with Senegalese maestro Youssou Ndour, and Nigerian artists P-Sq. and Tiwa Savage are amongst these set to carry out throughout the principle awards ceremony on the 15,000-seat Dakar stadium.

Gabonese singer and AFRIMA nominee Espoir La Tigresse was among the many extravagantly dressed visitors posing on the purple carpet earlier than the ceremony.

“I’m sporting a head masks from my tribe in Gabon representing a conventional dance from my village to point out that I’m happy with my tradition and needed to share it with the individuals right here as we speak,” she informed Reuters, sporting a black robe and a headpiece embellished with lengthy straw-like fronds that hid most of her face.

The mass enchantment of up to date genres comparable to Afrobeats, the place artists sing and rap over digital backing tracks, has translated into file gross sales and sold-out live shows for some African artists throughout the continent and in addition in the US and elements of Europe in recent times.

“That is such an thrilling second in African music, and we’re happy with the best way these artists have been capable of cross over to a number of markets each on the house entrance and even globally,” stated AFRIMA President Mike Dada forward of the ceremony.

Firms are cashing in on rising international curiosity in African music. Final June, Common Music Group launched a label for impartial African labels and artists, whereas music streaming platforms, together with Spotify, have sought to broaden their choices by African artists.