GLOBAL GROWTH, LOCAL QUESTIONS: WHAT THE IFPI 2026 REPORT MEANS FOR AFRICAN MUSIC

Every year, the global music industry pauses to take stock of itself. Numbers are released, charts are analysed, and narratives are shaped. But beyond the headlines and percentages, the real story lies in what those numbers reveal – not just about growth, but about power. The latest report from the International Federation of the Phonographic…

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LIRA

Lira ’s Return: Music, Neurological Recovery, and the Reconstitution of Artistic Identity

Lira’s return following her 2022 stroke offers a deeper lens into music as therapy, the reconstruction of voice, and the question of sustainability within African music. The trajectory of an artist’s career is often evaluated through continuity. – measured by sustained output, public visibility, and uninterrupted engagement with audiences. Within this framework, interruption is frequently…

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Coachella 2026: Black Musical Centrality and the Expanding Logic of African Sound in the Global Festival Economy

Coachella 2026 highlights the rise of Black music and African sound as central forces shaping the global stage and music industry. The 2026 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival is currently underway at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, featuring a historic headlining set by Karol G as the first Latina woman to headline, alongside performances…

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OneRPM

Building the Room: How ONErpm Is Creating Space for Women in African Music

In an industry often defined by access, visibility, and power dynamics, the most radical act is sometimes the simplest: like Onerpm is – creating a room and being intentional about who it is built for. Less than a fortnight ago in Nairobi, ONErpm quietly convened over 30 women across the Kenyan music ecosystem for an…

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Pan-African Music Collaborations You Should Know

Across timelines and social feeds, Africans love a good debate. From jollof wars to the perennial question of who does it better – Lagos, South Africa, Tanzania, or Nairobi – culture has always been a source of pride, and at times, playful division. Food, fashion, language, and even nation-building narratives have shaped how we see…

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Afrobeats Built a Movement, Now It Needs Institutions

Over the past two decades, African music – particularly Afrobeats – has transformed from a regional sound into one of the most powerful cultural exports in the world. From Lagos to London, Accra to Atlanta, and Nairobi to New York, the rhythms, language, and energy of African artists now move through global charts, festival stages,…

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NYRP and Shorae Moore Step Into Focus with “Take Control”

In a landscape often driven by immediacy, NYRP and Shorae Moore offer something more intentional with Take Control – a record rooted in craft, authorship, and sonic clarity. NYRP, “Not Your Regular Producer,” has spent years shaping sound across the Nigerian and global music ecosystem, with credits spanning Teni, L.A.X, Ladipoe, and beyond. Alongside him…

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Black Coffee

Black Coffee Set for Lagos Return on April 5 at Royal Box

Global house music icon Black Coffee is set to return to Lagos for a highly anticipated performance on April 5, 2026, at Royal Box Event Centre. The event, presented in conjunction with M:E Entertainment and Dapo Awofisayo, marks another significant moment in the ongoing cultural exchange between African electronic music and the continent’s most vibrant…

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Njerae

Njerae Invites Us Closer With New Single “Ingia Ndani”

Kenyan singer-songwriter Njerae is ushering in a new chapter of her musical journey with the upcoming release of her latest single, “Ingia Ndani,” – a track that arrived on March 13, 2026. The emotionally layered record sees the award-winning Afro-Indie artist leaning further into the soulful and intimate sound that has defined her rise within…

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