Category: Artist Development Programs
Providing resources and information about programs that support the development and growth of emerging music artists.
Custodian Conversations : Mich Straaw on Beautiful Hearts, Faith & Finding His Voice
Nigerian singer-songwriter Mich Straaw joins Music Custodian for an intimate conversation exploring creativity, surrender, faith, integrity and the making of Beautiful Hearts. From the Editor Every so often, Music Custodian encounters conversations that resist being reduced to promotional interviews. This was one of them. What began as a discussion around Beautiful Hearts gradually evolved into…
FOLA, Wizkid, Jorja Smith On New Afrobeats Heat Different
Inside Music Custodian’s “Afrobeats Heat Different” – New Music Friday Edition (4 July 2026) EDITORIAL OVERVIEW Every Friday, African music tells us where it is heading. Sometimes those stories arrive through carefully orchestrated album campaigns. Other times, they emerge without warning – through a surprise collaboration, an unexpected feature, or a record that seems to…
Davido Reminds Us That Music Can Be A Platform For More Than Entertainment
Davido explains why he used one of the world’s biggest stages to draw attention to Nigeria’s abducted schoolchildren. There are moments when music transcends performance. When an artist steps onto a global stage carrying not only their catalogue, but the weight of a nation. That was the case when Davido appeared during the FIFA World…
Ayra Starr Leads This Week’s Afrobeats Heat Different As African Music Enters Its Next Chapter
Some artists release singles, others announce eras. This week, Ayra Starr does the latter. With the release of Tornado, the Nigerian star returns carrying the weight of expectation that now follows every move she makes. Since emerging as one of the defining voices of her generation, Ayra Starr has evolved from promising newcomer to global…
Is Afrobeats Pricing Itself Out of Africa?
In a recent conversation sparked by our exploration of Afrobeats as an emerging institution, a new layer has been introduced; one that moves beyond ownership and infrastructure into something far more immediate: access. When Muthoni Drummer Queen weighed in, her perspective reframed the conversation in a way that is both practical and urgent. Her question…
Afrobeats Heat Different: African Music’s Global Moment Is No Longer Coming. It’s Here.
There was a time when African artists were fighting for space in global conversations. Today, many of those conversations begin with them. This week’s edition of Afrobeats Heat Different arrives as another reminder of just how far African music has travelled and how much further it continues to go. Leading this week’s selection is Victony,…
CHIKKA: Searching For The Rhythm That Connects East Africa
What if East Africa has been singing the same song all along? Not the same lyrics. Not the same instruments. Not even the same languages. But the same pulse. That question sits at the heart of CHIKKA, an ambitious musical and cultural project conceived by Ethiopian producer, researcher and creative director Guta Wakuma Chimsa. What…
WITH SEBULENI THE RHYTHM CONTINUES
Nairobi, Kenya – What began as a quiet return has now settled into a steady rhythm. Sebuleni, Nairobi’s evolving deep house listening space, continues its journey on Sunday, May 31st at The Rift, reaffirming its place not as an event, but as a monthly cultural ritual anchored in sound, community, and shared presence. Held every…
AI Can Make Songs – But Can It Make Culture?
The music industry has encountered disruption before, AI won’t be the first. From the decline of physical sales to the rise of streaming platforms, each technological shift has redefined how music is distributed, consumed, and monetized. Yet the current moment signals something far more fundamental. Artificial intelligence is no longer operating at the margins of…
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…