Category: Featured Artists
Spotlight up-and-coming artists and bands, providing a platform for exposure and recognition.
Inside the Soul of Xowié: South Africa’s Daring New Voice With a Global Rhythm
When rising South African soulstar Xowié touched down in Kenya for a string of intimate songwriting and collaboration camps and media tour, we knew we had to catch her in motion. Luckily, between studio sessions and soulful exchanges, we carved out time for an inspiring conversation that allowed us to uncover the heart of her…
Meet Florence Dei: Inside Efe Oraka ’s Reinvention and Creative Journey
Long before the spotlight found her, Efe Oraka was already quietly shaping her sound, releasing music in her teens, and crafting songs that carried an intimate kind of magic. Though many were first drawn in by her viral cover performances, her journey had long begun, rooted in a deep love for music and storytelling. Now,…
Mali Spirit by Lagos in Paris Is the Afro-Electronic Anthem You Didn’t Know You Needed
Discovered on a Random Spotify Scroll, Now I Can’t Stop Playing “Mali Spirit” by Lagos In Paris It was a quiet night. I was deep into one of those spontaneous Spotify scrolls, chasing something unfiltered, something with soul. You know the feeling: half bored, half hopeful. Then bam, “Mali Spirit” came on. I froze. The…
Stevie Wonder at 75: The Sound of a Generation, The Voice of a Century
Stevie Wonder turns 75 — and with it, the world pauses to celebrate not just a birthday, but a blueprint. A life that has shaped music, mirrored movements, and harmonized the sound of a people across continents. For African music lovers and Black communities across the diaspora, Stevie is more than a legend; he is…
Banké Is Harmonizing Hope, Heart & a New Era as NAYA Approaches
In this special edition of Custodian Conversations, we’re honored to journey through the blossoming path of Shalom Oluwabanke Adetumbi, known to many simply as Banké, a woman whose voice carries both the tenderness of a lullaby and the fire of a rising phoenix. From the vibrant streets of Lagos to the glittering stages of the…
Cyani: The Rising Star Who’s Defining the Future of Afrobeats
We had the pleasure of sitting down with the incredibly talented Cyani, a rising Afrobeats star hailing from Cameroon’s English-speaking region and now making waves from Montreal, Canada. Our virtual conversation—bridging time zones between our West African team in Nigeria and Cyani in Canada—offered an intimate glimpse into her artistry and journey as a diasporic…
The Artistry of Clothing: LADY DONLI —The Art of Blending Identity and Fashion
Born Zainab Elizabeth Donli, Lady Donli is a genre-blurring force in contemporary African music. The American-born, Nigerian-bred artist has carved a lane that seamlessly fuses alternative jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and the pulse of neo-African sounds, making her one of the most compelling voices in the Alté movement. Her breakthrough moment came in 2016 with Wallflower,…
Nairobi Grooves: Mordecai Dex Headlines This Week’s Playlist Update
Nairobi’s sonic landscape is ever-evolving, and this week’s update to our Nairobi Grooves playlist captures the freshest, most dynamic sounds shaping the city’s music scene. Leading the charge as our cover star is none other than Mordecai Dex, whose latest single “Safari” cements his status as a force to watch in Kenya’s alternative and Afro-fusion…
Tuphy: Tanzania’s Hidden Gem Redefining the East African Soundscape
Born on October 30, in the picturesque town of Bukoba, Tanzania, Tuphy—whose full name is Tumaini Francis has always been destined for greatness in the world of music.
NIKITA KERING’ UNVEILS GROUNDBREAKING COLLABORATION IN KAMA HAUNA
Nikita Kering’, one of East Africa’s most celebrated voices, has officially unveiled her latest single, “Kama Hauna,”