Nigerian recording artist Seun Kuti and his Egypt 80 band will embark on a tour of North America from 8 June to 27 July. 

This will be the band’s first appearance in North America since 2022 when they headlined The Independent in San Francisco.

The tour, presented by Django Music, includes 18 dates, of which two performances – in New York and Chicago – will be free. They will join New Orleans-based brass ensemble The Soul Rebels as special guests in San Diego and Los Angeles, and open for Red Hot Chili Peppers in Toronto and Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

On tour, the youngest son of Afrobeat icon Fela Kuti will play selected music from an extensive catalogue that perpetuates the genre pioneered by his father, fusing West African rhythms with American funk and jazz, all infused with socially conscious messages.

Seun Kuti, who took over leadership of the Egypt 80 band following the death of his father in 1997, is renowned for his activism and socially conscious music. The 41-year-old has collaborated with acts like Calle 13, Jidenna, Janelle Monae and the late Sinead O’Connor. In 2018 his album Black Times was nominated in the World Music category at the Grammys. In 2019, he was named one of the “100 Most Influential People” by TIME Magazine for his music and activism. 

See more about the tour here.

NC Grey is a talented UK-based musician and voice actor known for her captivating performances in the jazz and soul genres.

She has achieved significant success in voice acting, securing high-profile gigs with organizations like the World Health Organization and the United Nations.

Besides her thriving music and voice acting careers, NC Grey is also an author, with her latest book being Your Vocal Goldmine, an eBook designed to help aspiring voice actors.

Please introduce yourself …
I’m NC Grey, a British-Nigerian singer and voice actor.

Describe your life right now in a word or one sentence …
I’d describe my life right now as learning to walk on a rope.

Which came first the music or the voice acting and where and how did the two cross over?
The music came first; I’d been living and performing in Ireland for years and only fell into voice acting when the world closed during lockdown. With no shows to play, I had to find another creative outlet.

Telling your relevant close ones that you wanted to pursue a career in the arts was like?
I’m Nigerian. You can only imagine the look on my mum’s face. My family fought it for a while. There was a point I was threatened to be disowned. However, I was able to prove that I could balance creativity with doing well at uni. It also helped when my mum came to see me live and finally believed I could “actually sing“.

Your bio says you went from recording in an IKEA Wardrobe to booking significant jobs with big brands please share that journey …
My journey into voice acting happened over lockdown. I believed the first few jobs were a fluke so I didn’t want to invest a lot of money into a home set-up until I was sure it was an actual thing. I started off using spare mattresses my mum had in the shed to build my first booth. And although mattresses work really well for soundproofing, they were quite tedious to set up every other day. At the point I realised I was booking 2-3 small projects a day, I decided it was time to get something more permanent.

The average home studio booth would run me nearly £800 so I did some YouTube-ing and decided to DIY it with a cupboard and some soundproof squares from Amazon. The total set up including glue cost me £150. The quality of my work greatly improved with this setup and I saw that reflected in the calibre of clients that reached out. From that same setup, I was able to work with the British Arts Council, SalesForce and the NHS. I’ve now been able to reinvest in the business and get a top-of-the-range mic and plugins that mean I can record with or without my cupboard.

Tell us about your new ebook Your Vocal Goldmine. What’s it about and who’s it for?
As I progressed along my journey, I got a lot of DM’s from people wanting to know how they could also get into voice acting. There were a lot of misconceptions like you couldn’t do it without an agent etc. and I found myself repeating the same answers every other day. I started building an FAQ doc in my notes app and with how frequently I opened it to copy and paste, decided it was time to build a resource. Your Vocal Goldmine is my ebook that provides a step-by-step guide on becoming a voice actor. It covers everything I wish I’d known, how to accurately understand your niche and how best to monetise your voice. There are tasks at the end of every chapter with the aim that on completion of the ebook, you’ll be fully set up.

Highs, lows, solutions …
Did I mention I work a full-time job in a tech company? Balancing a full-time career, delivering my booked voice over jobs and writing a book was no small feat. I’m definitely a calendar girlie so I leveraged that and over-indexed on time blocking. There were social functions I had to decline and prioritise content that would deliver immediate impact to the reader as opposed to storytelling. As I began to fine-tune the book, I knew I had to shut down my corporate brain. I took a week off work, went to sunny Malta and spent hours every day completing the book. For efficiency, I leveraged my network; one of my closest friends Marve Anson is an author and helped with the copywriting. Another friend who was a photographer shot the cover photo. It was truly a team effort and I’m super grateful that I have a network I could lean into.

Which project to date do you feel best demonstrates why you do what you do?
Working on the W.H.O. project is one of my career highlights. There is a huge sense of fulfilment working on projects that truly matter and that project focused on the huge lack of investment in healthcare services around the world.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU …

If not this, then what?
That’s a really hard question. I’ve got a career in tech, the music, and then this. So if not this, I’d probably index more on one of the other things I’m doing. I’m a strong believer in leaving no stone unturned so I feel like I’m currently doing all the things I’d want to do in some capacity.

What’s made you Sad, Mad, Glad this week …
Sad, I saw a pastry I really wanted and couldn’t have (I’m currently cutting out gluten to see how I feel). Mad, the news. I mean, there’s nothing on there that wouldn’t make you mad. Glad, I found a gluten-free peanut butter blondie that was so good.

What are you watching right now?
A lot of Nigerian movies on Netflix. I’m trying to work on a really specific Nigerian accent so I’m doing a lot of character analysis and understanding tone. No, there isn’t a specific project I’m working on, but you never know when the opportunity may arise.

What are you reading right now?
I’m really in my black author bag right now and I’ve literally just finished ‘Some Angels Dont See God‘ by Ever Obi. It’s such a gripping read.

The last thing you saw on stage?
MW the Musical. I haven’t laughed that much in a while.

What’s on your bucket list?
To voice an animated character.

Where’s your happy place?
On a beach. I’m my happiest when I’m by water.

Who’s the most important person in your life?
God. And yes, he’s not exactly a person. But with where I am right now, he’s the most consistent.

Celebrate someone else …
I’m super excited for Marve Anson who just got a book deal with Penguin Michael Joseph. I’m a big fan of the Penguin brand and super cool to see someone I know get a signing.

Celebrate yourself …
I’m very proud of the risks I’ve taken to get to where I am. Spinning multiple plates isn’t for everyone and not every venture is a success. But so far, so good.

Whose footsteps are you following in?
I’d like to think I’m following in the footsteps of Issa Rae and Jamie Foxx who are masters of many crafts.

What’s Next?
I’ve begun to lend my expertise to coaching some new voice actors and I’m looking forward to seeing them doing great things in the V/O space.

Where can we find you?
You can find me on Instagram and TikTok – @ncgrey

Where can we find your latest work?
www.ncgrey.com hosts all my projects; both music and voice acting.

Ghanaian pop star Amaarae has been confirmed as a special guest on U.S rapper Childish Gambino’s upcoming world tour starting next month.

The announcement coincides with the surprise release of Childish Gambino’s album Atavista on Monday. 

Amaarae was named alongside U.S singer Willow for the global marathon, christened The New World Tour, which will include nearly 80 dates and conclude in February 2025.

The 29-year-old confirmed her guest appearance via a post on her official X (formerly Twitter) account.

“On tour w/ childish (@donaldglover) this fall thru to 2025 ! it’s gonna be a wild time!” 

Amaarae’s announcement follows the Recording Industry Association of America’s (RIAA’s) platinum certification of her “Sad Girlz Luv Money” remix featuring Kali Uchis & Moliy, marking more than 1 million unit sales.

Born in New York to Ghanaian parents, Amaarae is known for her fusion of pop, R&B, Afrobeats, and Alté, as well as her fluid representation of gender and sexuality. In 2020, Amaarae released her critically-acclaimed debut album The Angel You Don’t Know, which spawned the global hit “Sad Girlz Luv Money.” In 2023, she released her sophomore album Fountain Baby and later that year she became the first Ghanaian artist to appear on NPR Tiny Desk. In the course of her career, she has collaborated with several leading African acts, including Stonebwoy, Santi, Blaqbonez, Bnxn FKA Buju, Odunsi the Engine, and Wande Coal.

Click here to learn more about tickets for the New World Tour.

Nigerian pop superstar Ayra Starr has been confirmed as music streaming service provider Spotify’s EQUAL Africa and EQUAL Global artist for the month of May.

This marks the second time the singer is joining the artist development initiative aimed at promoting gender equity in music after her first inclusion in the EQUAL Africa programme in November 2021. She now joins fellow Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage as the only other African artist to be named both EQUAL Africa and EQUAL Global artist by Spotify.

As the latest EQUAL act, Ayra Starr, signed to Nigerian music record label Mavin Records (led by media entrepreneur Don Jazzy), will benefit from Spotify’s global platform through playlists, content hubs and partnerships.

Confirming the announcement, the singer noted: “I am grateful to become a Spotify EQUAL ambassador. It means so much to me to be able to represent women in Afrobeats and African women in general. There are so many women in music today, behind the scenes, in front of the camera, musicians, sound engineers, all these women working hard, and Spotify EQUAL is doing a great job in highlighting all their hard work.”

“Our commitment at Spotify is to support and empower women in the music industry, helping to create a more level playing field,” Spotify’s senior artist and label partnerships manager, sub-Saharan Africa, Monica Kemoli-Savanne, stated. “Seeing artists like Ayra Starr come from the continent to gain global recognition serves as a true testament that Africa is full of talent, all that is needed is a platform. It has been a great journey to witness the growth of female artists who are also inspiring generations to come, which also speaks to our commitment to equally support female artists.”

At only 21 years old, Ayra Starr has quickly blossomed into one of Africa’s biggest pop stars in the space of three years. She was discovered in 2019 via Instagram by Don Jazzy, who had been impressed by the cover performances and an original song she published on her page. Upon signing for Mavin, she released her self-titled debut EP in January 2021, and later that year, she released her well-received debut album 19 and Dangerous, which spawned the smash hit “Bloody Samaritan.”

In 2022, Ayra Starr gained mainstream international recognition with the release of “Rush”, which charted in several territories, including Switzerland, Ireland and the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number 24. The song earned her a nomination for Best African Music Performance at the 2024 Grammy Awards, where she lost out to Tyla’s “Water.” Her sophomore album, The Year I Turned 21, is set to be released on Friday 31 May.

All Africa Music Awards …

The African Union Commission (AUC) has officially invited the governments of Nigeria and South Africa to take advantage of the hosting rights benefits of the next two editions of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA).

In a letter signed by the AUC’s Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development, Her Excellency, Ambassador Minata Samate Cessouma, the AU said the call aligns with its policies for the strategic transformation of Africa through social integration, as outlined in AU Agenda 2063, the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance, and the AU Plan for Action on Cultural and Creative Industry.

The AU has described AFRIMA as a global platform for celebrating and developing Africa’s diverse musical talents and cultural heritage, highlighting the significant opportunities hosting the prestigious awards presents for the selected host country.

According to organisers, AFRIMAs hosting rights are “usually bestowed on a country that shows capacity and commitment to meet up with the requirements and conditions.” 

AUC’s acting director for social development, culture, and sports, Angela Martins, noted that hosting AFRIMAs offers the host country opportunities for cultural showcasing, music sector development, tourism promotion and economic growth.

“This call to action comes as part of the AU’s commitment to promoting cultural exchange, unity, and economic development across the African continent,” she said. “We urge the governments of Nigeria and South Africa to seize this opportunity to strengthen intra-African collaboration in line with AfCFTA [the African Continental Free Trade Area] within the music industry and enhance their international visibility positively.

“AFRIMAs serve as a premier platform for African artists in Africa and diaspora to showcase their talent, gain international exposure and connect with audiences worldwide.”

The AFRIMAs, first held in 2014, operate based on core pillars encompassing awards, festivals, a creative academy, talent discovery and promotion, a music business hub, advocacy, and advisory and policy debates. It is usually broadcast live to over 84 countries.

Last year’s edition, tagged the “Teranga Edition”, was held in Senegal, and marked the first time that the awards ceremony was held in a Francophone African country. Afrobeats superstar Davido was the biggest winner on the night, clinching four awards: Best Male Artist in African Inspirational Music, Best Artist in African Pop categories, Best African Collaboration and Best Duo Group in African Electro. The Artist of the Year accolade went to Burna Boy, who also bagged Album of the Year.

Learn more about the AFRIMAs by visiting their official website.

Submissions are currently ongoing for the Studio Monkey Shoulder initiative celebrating innovative grassroots music communities.

The initiative, running in collaboration with celebrated DJ, broadcaster and record collector Gilles Peterson and his online radio station Worldwide FM, forms part of a vision to empower communities that challenge norms and share their stories with the world. 

Anyone over the age of 25 representing a grassroots music community from India, the US, the UK, Nigeria and Taiwan can apply.

Studio Monkey Shoulder will allocate a £10, 000 fund to five music collectives for project implementation. Their stories will also be told through a series of films, events and radio broadcasts on Worldwide FM. 

The organisers say the initiative, which targets spaces like independent record stores, live venues, and radio stations, will prioritise projects that “drive community connection and deliver unique creative output and convey passion for the project.”

Projects must challenge norms and share unique stories within the local music community.

“This is exactly why I started Worldwide FM radio and there are so many other incredible community-driven projects out there I want to uncover, which is what excites us about Studio Monkey Shoulder. We have no idea where this is going to take us but can’t wait to see and hear it”, said Peterson, whose imprint Brownswood Recordings is credited with elevating the careers of artists and groups like Kokoroko, Yussef Dayes, Swindle, and Joe-Armon Jones, among others.

Applications will be reviewed by Worldwide FM and Gilles Peterson. Priority will be given to projects that foster community connection and showcase creativity and passion. The submission window closes on 9 May, 2024.

Click here to learn more and apply.

The Ghana Music Awards USA has announced the nominations list for its fifth edition. 

The nominees were unveiled at an announcement and anniversary party held in New Jersey on 20th April 2024.

This year’s edition will reward outstanding musical works released by Ghanaian acts between 1 January and 31 December 2023. Some of the categories in contention include Songwriter of the Year, Hip-Hop Artiste of the Year, Gospel Song of the Year, New Artiste of the Year, Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year, Emerging Artiste of the Year (USA), Afrobeats Artiste of the Year, Best Collaboration of the Year, Most Popular Song of the Year, Artiste of the Year, Gospel Artiste of the Year, Highlife Song of the Year, Rapper of the Year, and others.

Leading the pack for nominations are US-based duo TooWan8 who are nominated in eight categories, followed by Kuami Eugene (seven), Amerado (six) and Stonebwoy (five).

Now in its fifth year, the Ghana Music Awards USA, spearheaded by US-based entertainment agency Don’s Music Production, spotlights Ghanaian musicians plying their trade on the African continent and in the diaspora. The award aims to promote Ghanaian music and culture to the international market. 

Last year, the scheme rewarded more than 20 musicians for their work. Notable winners included Black Sherif (who took home the trophy for Hip Hop/Hiplife Artist of the Year), Camidoh (who emerged winner in the Afrobeats/Afropop Artist of the Year category), and Samini (who won the Reggae/Dancehall Artist of the Year category).

This year’s Ghana Music awards will be held on 17th August 2024. See the full list of nominees here.

Nigerian Idol, one of the most popular music talent shows on the African continent, is returning for a ninth season with the theme “Let Your Dreams Take Flight.”

The programme, starting on 21 April and ending on 14 July, will showcase young, undiscovered Nigerian aspiring musicians. Week after week, they will battle for the chance to launch a music career, while being at the mercy of seasoned judges and the voting public.

This year’s jury includes Nigerian artists Omawumi, Ric Hassani, and 9ice, with IK Osakioduwa making a return as the show’s host.

On his unique role in this year’s edition of the show, Hassani, who describes himself as the “technical judge”, said: “I think I’m going to bring more vigour to the show. I’m going to bring more tenacity. I’m going to bring more fire. I want to hear really good singers. This is a role I take very seriously, so I can’t wait to get started. “

On what it would take to win the competition, he noted: “You have to know what you’re doing, know what you can do and know what you can’t do so that you can learn how to get it right. I feel like the Nigerian Idol platform is where you come to shine, but you also come to learn and that’s very important because how you shine is by learning and putting your head down. That’s what I want to see.”

Dr. Busola Tejumola, Executive Head of Content and Channels (West Africa) at African entertainment company MultiChoice, sponsors of the show, also shared her thoughts on the upcoming season: 

“Nigerian Idol has continuously set the standard for music talent shows in Africa, and Season 9 promises to be no exception. With Omawunmi, Ric Hassani, and 9ice on board, viewers can expect unparalleled talent, excitement, and entertainment. We are proud to showcase the immense musical prowess that Nigeria has to offer and look forward to another unforgettable season.”

Nigerian Idol is one of the most-viewed music competitions in Africa. Since its launch in 2010, the show has provided a platform for several talented acts to pursue their ambitions. Last year, the competition crowned Victory Gbakara as the winner and rewarded him with a grand prize valued at ₦50 million (about $111,000 at the time). This included N35 million in cash, a car and a recording contract. Other past winners include Mercy Chinwo, Moses Obi-Adigwe, Evelle, K-Peace, Kingdom Kroseide and Progress Chukwuyem. 

Nigerian Idol premieres Sunday, 21st April 2024 via DSTV. Find out more here.

Ghana is set to host the first-ever West Africa Music and Arts Festival this Summer.

Scheduled to take place in Accra (the country’s capital), the festival spans four days starting 19th June at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park.

This adds to a growing list of international arts festivals in the country, such as the Chale Wote Street Art Festival, AfroFuture and Black Star Line Festival.

The West Africa Music and Arts Festival, endorsed by the Ghana Tourism Authority and supported by Warner Music Africa, coincides with Ghana’s official Juneteenth celebration. It will feature a music industry conference with panel discussions, workshops, art installations and showcases encompassing Afrobeats, highlife and hip-hop. The organisers say the programme will help the discovery of emerging talent across the continent. 

Jasmine Young, co-founder of the Festival, noted that the industry showcase was created to strengthen diaspora connections and celebrate the sub-region’s cultural richness globally through community engagement and the arts. 

“It’s about creating meaningful connections and inspiring positive change. We invite everyone to join us in Accra for an unforgettable celebration of music, arts and culture that will resonate far beyond the festival grounds”, said Young.

Ghana Tourism Authority CEO, Akwasi Agyeman, added: “We are proud to support the West Africa Music and Arts Festival. This festival not only celebrates our vibrant music and arts scene but also promotes tourism and economic development in our region. We eagerly anticipate welcoming visitors from near and far to immerse themselves in the beauty and creativity of Ghana.”

The West Africa Music and Arts Festival is integrated into the “Beyond the Return”, campaign, a follow-up to the successful “Year Of Return” campaign (launched by Ghana in 2019) that celebrated African resilience and encouraged people of African origin to return to Africa.

The West Africa Music and Arts festival runs from 19th – 22nd June. Find out more here.

“FIRST WAVE OF #AND2024 LINEUP IS HERE!!

African pop megastars Rema, Amaarae and Adekunle Gold have been unveiled as part of the first wave of artists scheduled to perform at this year’s Afro Nation Detroit music festival.

The lineup was revealed via a post published on Afro Nation US’ official Instagram account.

“FIRST WAVE OF #AND2024 LINEUP IS HERE!! We’re bringing cultures together to celebrate over a weekend of music magic. We’re coming in hot this year, and this is just the beginning! Watch this space, more headliners coming soon!”, the post read.

Other top African acts billed to perform at this year’s festival include Nigeria’s Ayra Starr and Ruger, Ghanaian superstar King Promise, Swazi-born record producer Uncle Waffles, and Sudanese-born DJ Moma. South Africa will also be represented by a sizeable contingent which comprises Musa Keys, DBN Gogo, Kamo Mphela and 2wo Bunnies.

According to the festival’s organisers, Detroit’s rich history of African American culture made it easy to select the city as the venue for this year’s edition of Afro Nation US.

“Bringing Afro Nation back to Detroit, the home of Motown and Techno music was an easy decision,” said Smade, Co-Founder of Afro Nation, in a statement. “Detroit embodies culture, creativity, and pride. The energy here is electric, echoing the heartbeat of Afro Nation’s spirit. In Detroit, we found a community that welcomed us with open arms, sharing our passion for unity and celebration, giving us a home away from home. Afro Nation Detroit 2024 will be even bigger than last year, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you.”

Afro Nation is the world’s biggest music festival primarily focused on African music. Following the success of editions held in Portugal, Ghana and Puerto Rico, the festival hosted its US leg for the first time in 2023 at the LoanDepot Park, Miami.

The 2024 Detroit edition of Afro Nation will bring together the best artists in Afrobeats, Hip Hop, RnB, Dancehall, Amapiano, Afro House and more across two stages. It is scheduled to take place on 17th and 18th August 2024 and will be hosted at the Bedrock’s Douglass Site, Detroit, Michigan, United States.

To learn more about Afro Nation Detroit 2024, click here: