Artists

More famously known for the annual colourful Mwaka Kogwa (Shirazi New Year) cultural celebrations, the small fishing town of Makunduchi on the south-eastern tip of Zanzibar is also home to Kiongoni School, where young talent is overflowing. Placing a priority on fostering cultural pride from a young age, the school read more

Almost a century ago, Zanzibari singer Siti Binti Saad reimagined what had been formal court music into a private form of improvisation, laced with a spirit of inclusivity that combined Arabic and Swahili lyrics. In doing so, she paved the way for other female taarab singers, including Bi Kidude.

In turn, read more

Ze Spirits Band is a group of six young and talented musicians from Bagamoyo, aged 18 to 25.

The inspiration for their music comes from the vibes of Tanzanian local traditional dance, songs and rhythms, which are successfully blended with contemporary ideas to empower the groove and engage read more

Hailing from Tororo in Eastern Uganda, Apio Moro is an afro-soul singer-songwriter who inspires continuous self-discovery through her music. Apio has held a life-long fascination with how music empowers people to tell their stories.

In 2017, following performances at Fete de la Musique, Blankets & Wine read more

Le Tout Puissant Orchestre Poly Rythmo De Cotonou are one of the best kept secrets of West Africa. [[[

“If death took bribes, I would pay a fortune to save my mother and father” sang Poly-Rythmo’s Antoine Dougbé thirty years ago. This read more

Of all the bands that immigrated to East Africa, Super Mazembe has stood the test of time.

Super Mazembe started in 1969 in Likasi, near Lubumbashi, DRC as Super Vox. On tour in neighbouring Zambia during 1970, the band met Nashil Pichen Kazembe, a diehard supporter of one of read more