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July 7, 2026
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Afrobeats Meets Country: Teswess Unveils New Musical Pathways

Damilare FarotimiNovember 11, 2024November 21, 202406 mins

Afrobeats is embracing yet another fresh twist as Teswess, a known Afrobeats artist and rising star in country music, introduces a bold fusion of genres.

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Music Custodian

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Pan-African music & culture platform documenting the sounds, stories, and creative ecosystems shaping Africa’s global future🎙️

MONDAY MOTIVATION ✨ Black creativity has never MONDAY MOTIVATION ✨

Black creativity has never simply entertained the world.

It has shaped how the world moves, speaks, dresses, dances, remembers, resists, feels, and imagines.

While accepting the Ultimate Icon Award at the BET Awards, legendary music executive Sylvia Rhone offered a timely reminder about the value of creative ownership in a rapidly changing world.

As music enters a new technological era shaped by artificial intelligence, data, platforms, and algorithms, her message was clear: creators must not lose sight of their power.

“We make the algorithm. The algorithm does not make us.”

That line carries weight.

It reminds us that technology should serve creativity, not replace it. It reminds us that musicians deserve to be honoured, creators deserve to be compensated, and Black creative labour must be protected with the same intensity with which it is celebrated.

Every generation inherits new tools.

But the soul of the work still comes from people.

From artists.

From writers.

From producers.

From musicians.

From storytellers.

From communities.

As we begin a new week, let this be a reminder to protect the work, honour the craft, respect the creator, and keep building spaces where the next generation can create songs, stories, ideas, and movements that change the world.

The algorithm does not make us.

We make the algorithm.

#MondayMotivation #MusicCustodian #SylviaRhone #BETAwards #BlackCreativity
There are moments when music transcends performanc There are moments when music transcends performances. 

“There’s no image to protect if little kids are being kidnapped.”

Speaking to BBC Africa’s Focus on Africa, @davido explained why he wore pins bearing the names of 39 abducted children and seven teachers during his FIFA World Cup 2026 performance.

While the World Cup stage celebrated music, sport, and global unity, the Nigerian superstar used the moment to draw attention to a humanitarian issue affecting families back home.

“As much as I was happy to do the World Cup, we also have to understand that there are things going on in our country which we have the power to let the world know through our own means.”

For Davido, that means using the platform he knows best.

“My power is in music. My power is in performances.”

The gesture serves as a reminder that artists often carry more than songs onto the world’s biggest stages. They carry stories, communities, and responsibilities that extend far beyond entertainment.

Sometimes, the most powerful performance isn’t just the music.

It’s the message.

🎥 BBC Africa – Focus on Africa

#MusicCustodian #Davido #BBCAfrica #FocusOnAfrica #Afrobeats
One stage. Thousands of voices. One unmistakable One stage.

Thousands of voices.

One unmistakable sound.

Rema’s performance at Rock in Rio Lisboa 2026 felt like more than another festival appearance. It was a powerful reminder of how far African music has travelled - and how deeply it now resonates across the world.

Watching hundreds of thousands of fans sing, dance and respond to every moment of his set, it became clear that Afrobeats is no longer crossing borders as a guest. It has become part of the global musical conversation.

From Lagos to Lisbon, the distance between artist and audience seemed to disappear. What remained was rhythm, movement and a shared cultural language that needed no translation.

Moments like these remind us that African music is no longer asking for a seat at the table.

It is helping build the stage.

🎤 @heisrema 
📍 Rock in Rio Lisboa 2026

#MusicCustodian #Rema #RockInRio #RockInRioLisboa #Afrobeats
Every week brings new music. Only a few records s Every week brings new music.

Only a few records stay with us.

Some challenge us. Some comfort us. Some make us dance. Others force us to sit with difficult questions. A handful become the songs we keep returning to long after the release week has passed.

From Ghana, United Kingdom, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Jamaica, Cameroon, Scotland, the United States, and beyond, these are some of the records currently occupying our speakers, playlists, and conversations.

Not because they are the biggest.

Not because they are the most streamed.

But because they continue to move us.

Here are sixteen sounds we can’t stop returning to right now.

Which record has been living rent-free in your head lately?
History, culture, and music came together in Chica History, culture, and music came together in Chicago as Tems performed during the grand opening of the Obama Presidential Center.

The Grammy-winning Nigerian artist joined a distinguished lineup that included Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, Common, Bono, The Roots, and several other globally celebrated voices as the Obama Foundation officially unveiled the landmark civic and cultural institution.

Designed as a space for community, leadership, education, and civic engagement, the Obama Presidential Center represents one of the most significant cultural projects in modern American history.

For @temsbaby , the moment marks yet another milestone in a journey that continues to place African artistry at the centre of global cultural conversations.

From stadium stages and international festivals to the FIFA World Cup and now the Obama Presidential Center, African voices continue to shape the soundtrack of our time.

📍 Chicago, Illinois

🎤 Tems

#MusicCustodian #Tems #ObamaFoundation #BlackExcellence #CulturalMemory
African music is experiencing one of the most rema African music is experiencing one of the most remarkable periods in its history.

Artists are selling out arenas around the world. Festivals continue to grow. Streaming numbers are reaching unprecedented heights. Afrobeats, Amapiano, Afro-fusion, and other African sounds have become part of the global cultural conversation.

But alongside that success comes an important question.

As African music becomes more valuable to the world, is it becoming less accessible to the people and communities that helped build it?

Journaled by @kingjordanabiola in a recent conversation, @muthonidrummerqueen reflected on the changing economics of African live music and the growing tension between expansion and accessibility. 

As an artist, entrepreneur, festival curator, and community builder, her perspective comes from years of working across multiple corners of the creative industry.

The conversation is not simply about ticket prices, it transcends that. It is about participation, and about belonging.

It is about ensuring that the communities that have supported African music for decades can continue to experience and engage with the culture as it grows.

As African music enters a new era of global recognition, perhaps the most important question is not whether it can conquer the world.

Perhaps the question is whether Africans can continue to access, experience, and participate in the culture they helped create.

We explore these questions and more in our latest editorial.

Read the full story now on MusicCustodian.com.

What are your thoughts? Have live music experiences become too expensive, or are rising costs simply part of the industry’s growth?

Join the conversation below.

#MusicCustodian #MuthoniDrummerQueen #Afrobeats #AfricanMusic #MusicBusiness
AFROBEATS HEAT DIFFERENT 🌪️🎧 Ayra Starr r AFROBEATS HEAT DIFFERENT 🌪️🎧

Ayra Starr returns.

And she sounds exactly like an artist stepping fully into her era.

This week’s edition of Afrobeats Heat Different is led by Tornado, a bold and assured record that signals the beginning of a new chapter for one of African music’s most influential voices.

Beyond the cover story, this playlist travels across Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Ivory Coast and the wider diaspora, bringing together some of the continent’s most exciting established and emerging talents.

From @nairamarley and @kizzdaniel Ijoba to @sarkodie and @shattawalenima Everlasting, @blacksherif_ ’s introspective Find A Way, @bloody__civ adventurous SpaceFuji, and @officialnandy heartfelt Hate That I Love You, this edition reflects a continent creating with confidence and intention.

Also watch out for @zaylevelten , @bloody__civ and @6uffzaddy - three artists continuing to push African music into exciting new territories.

12 records.

Multiple countries.

One evolving African soundtrack.

🎧 Cover Star: Ayra Starr
🔥 Featured Record: Tornado

Curated by @oyedeji_ayodeji , and link is in the bio.

#AfrobeatsHeatDifferent #AyraStarr #MusicCustodian #AfricanMusic #Afrobeats
There are moments when music, movement, and memory There are moments when music, movement, and memory become one.

This is one of them.

As Aya Nakamura glides across the screen to the sounds of Effrayée, we’re reminded that some of the most beautiful expressions of culture live in the simplest moments: a rhythm, a feeling, a dance, a smile.

As we approach the weekend, may we never lose sight of the creativity, elegance, and joy that continue to define Black expression across the world.

Here’s to beautiful music.
Here’s to beautiful people.
Here’s to beautiful memories yet to be made.

✨

#MusicCustodian #AyaNakamura #BlackCulture #AfricanMusic #CreativeExcellence
GUESS WHO THURSDAYS đź‘€ Today we begin a new Mus GUESS WHO THURSDAYS đź‘€

Today we begin a new Music Custodian series dedicated to cultural memory.

Some photographs are more than images, they are moments where history pauses long enough for us to look back.

This week’s photograph captures four figures whose influence helped shape music, culture, activism, and Black expression across generations.

Can you name everyone pictured before swiping?

We’ll reveal the answer on the next slide.

#GuessWhoThursdays #MusicCustodian #CulturalMemory #BlackMusic #AfricanMusic
Ayra Starr has added her name to the growing list Ayra Starr has added her name to the growing list of African artists gracing NPR Music's celebrated Tiny Desk stage.

As part of NPR's Black Music Month programming, the Nigerian star delivered a captivating performance backed by a live band, showcasing the rich blend of Afro-fusion, soul, pop, and rhythm that has helped establish her as one of Africa's most exciting global exports.

Known for her distinctive voice, infectious melodies, and fearless artistry, Ayra Starr transformed the intimate Tiny Desk setting into a vibrant celebration of African music, offering audiences a different perspective on songs that have resonated across continents.

The appearance marks another significant milestone in her rapidly expanding international journey and further highlights the growing presence of African artists on some of the world's most respected music platforms.

From Lagos to the global stage, Ayra Starr continues to prove that African music is not merely participating in global culture, of course it is actively shaping it.

🎥 Watch Ayra Starr's full Tiny Desk performance via NPR Music.

#AyraStarr #TinyDesk #NPRMusic #BlackMusicMonth #AfricanMusic #Afrobeats #MusicCustodian
MONDAY MOTIVATION ✨ One of the greatest challen MONDAY MOTIVATION ✨

One of the greatest challenges every creative faces is the temptation to create for approval rather than purpose.

During a recent conversation on visual identity, creativity, and the art of music video direction, legendary filmmaker Director X shared a powerful lesson that extends far beyond film sets and editing rooms. He explained that the more you understand the science behind your craft, the better equipped you are to communicate your ideas, defend your vision, and navigate the challenges that inevitably come with creating something meaningful.

Too often, creatives become consumed by what audiences might want, what trends are performing well, or what will generate the most attention. Yet some of the most memorable work in history was never created by chasing approval. It was created by people who trusted their instincts and remained committed to their vision.

Director X emphasized that every creative work should have its own language, rhythm, and feeling. Whether you’re making music, directing a film, designing a product, writing a story, or building a business, your work should reflect something authentic about who you are and how you see the world.

He also spoke about a lesson he learned in the editing room: no matter how beautiful a shot may be, the performance and emotion must always come first. Sometimes growth requires letting go of what you personally love in service of what the work truly needs.

Perhaps the most reassuring advice came from a lesson passed down to him by legendary director Hype Williams: “You have to fight that feeling that you suck.”

Self-doubt is a companion many creatives know all too well. Every artist, entrepreneur, filmmaker, producer, writer, and innovator encounters moments of uncertainty. The goal is not to eliminate those feelings entirely. The goal is to keep moving forward despite them.
As you begin a new week, commit yourself to learning more about your craft. Invest in understanding both its art and its science. Trust your instincts, protect the soul of your work, and remember that meaningful creation rarely comes from trying to please everyone.
From Lagos to London. @ayrastarr continues to car From Lagos to London.

@ayrastarr continues to carry African music into new rooms, new cities, and new conversations.

The singer joined ZSONGO x Koko Electronic for the platform’s London debut, offering audiences an intimate evening rooted in music, culture, and connection.

As African music’s global footprint expands, these moments matter. Not simply because of the performances, but because they help build the communities that sustain culture far beyond the continent.

🎥 Koko Electronic 

#AyraStarr #MusicCustodian #Afrobeats #AfricanCulture #London
AFROBEATS HEAT DIFFERENT 🌍🎧

African music’s global moment is no longer approaching.

It’s here.

This week’s edition of Afrobeats Heat Different is led by @vict0ny , whose highly anticipated single FRE$H earns the cover position and reminds us why he remains one of the defining voices of his generation.

Beyond the cover story, this playlist captures a broader shift taking place across music and culture. From @davido appearance alongside @majorlazer and @nellyfurtado on No Place Like Home to @wizkidayo and @vybzkartel joining forces on Stay For The Night, African artists continue to occupy some of the world’s biggest cultural stages.

Elsewhere, @ayanakamura_officiel and @skepta bridge continents on Chippie, @faveszn delivers another standout moment with Dance, while @dxtiny___ emerges as one of this week’s discovery picks through Jericho and Arizona.

Featuring Victony, Davido, Wizkid, Vybz Kartel, Aya Nakamura, Skepta, Ayra Starr, Shatta Wale, LADIPOE, Bisa Kdei, Mannywellz, Mr. P and more, this edition reflects an ecosystem that continues to grow, evolve, and influence global popular culture.

Twenty-six records.

Multiple countries.

One African soundtrack.

🎧 Cover Star: Victony
🔥 Featured Record: FRE$H

Link in bio.

#AfrobeatsHeatDifferent #MusicCustodian #Victony #Afrobeats #AfricanMusicCommunity
TODAY’S LISTEN 🎧🌍 What if East Africa has TODAY’S LISTEN 🎧🌍

What if East Africa has been singing the same song all along?

Not the same lyrics.
Not the same languages.
Not even the same instruments.

But the same rhythm.

Mass High by JUA, ISAT IRAT and Mr. LU* forms part of CHIKKA, an ambitious cultural project exploring the shared musical traditions, histories and identities that connect communities across East Africa.

More than a song, it is an invitation to listen differently.

To hear the echoes between cultures.
To recognise the connections beneath borders.
And to imagine what a shared East African future might sound like.

Read our latest feature:
“CHIKKA: Searching For The Rhythm That Connects East Africa.”

Link in bio.

#MusicCustodian #CHIKKA #MassHigh #EastAfricanMusic #AfricanMusic CulturalStorytelling
NAIROBI GROOVES 🌍🎧 East Africa’s creative NAIROBI GROOVES 🌍🎧

East Africa’s creative borders are disappearing.

This week’s edition of Nairobi Grooves captures a region that is increasingly connected through music, culture, collaboration, and shared experiences. 

From Nairobi to Kampala, Kigali to Dar es Salaam, artists are creating with a confidence that feels both deeply local and unmistakably global.

Leading this week’s playlist is @mynameismaali , whose latest single Bad Decision earns the cover spot as one of the most compelling releases currently emerging from Nairobi’s evolving music landscape. 

The record curated with beautiful contributions from @mihaga.rati reflects the vulnerability, ambition, and artistic conviction that continue to define a new generation of East African talent.

Elsewhere, @fenamenal and @ariel_wayz bridge Kenya and Rwanda on Call Me, @wearenubia_  and @xeniamanasseh  celebrate collaboration on Longo Longo, while @we.are.jua @isat.irat and Mr. LU*’s Mass High explores the shared cultural rhythms that have long connected East African communities beyond borders.

The playlist also features standout contributions from @nikita_kering , @muthonidrummerqueen @blinkybillmusic  @bridgetblue @bensoulmusic @officialalikiba @mbosso_ @wakadinali @bienaimesol @itsjoshuabaraka @satb_satura @_toxic_lyrikali @trekkah @tina_ardor @eyezkitaka @kethanofficial @sanjakong and more.

Together, these records form a sonic portrait of a region that is growing, experimenting, collaborating, and telling its stories on its own terms.

This is not just a playlist.

It is a snapshot of East Africa in motion.

🎧 Cover Star: Maali
🔥 Featured Record: Bad Decision

Link in bio.

#NairobiGrooves #MusicCustodian #EastAfricanMusic #AfricanMusic #PlaylistCulture
MONDAY MOTIVATION 🌍✨ One of the greatest ski MONDAY MOTIVATION 🌍✨

One of the greatest skills we can develop in life is the ability to recognize opportunity when it appears.

Too often, we spend our time waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect conditions, or the perfect level of confidence before taking action. But the truth is that opportunity rarely arrives with certainty. It often appears quietly, unexpectedly, and for only a limited period of time.

As T.I. reminds us, we have to move at the speed of opportunity. When a door opens, we must be aware enough to recognize it. When an opportunity presents itself, we must be prepared enough to act on it. And while that window remains open, we must maximize every second, every conversation, every connection, and every possibility that comes with it.

Equally important is understanding that opportunities come in seasons. Some doors will remain open for a while, while others may close quickly. The key is not to become discouraged when a season changes, but to make the most of the time we have while it is available and continue preparing ourselves for the next opportunity when it arrives.

As we begin a new week and step into a new month, let this serve as a reminder to stay ready, stay observant, and stay in motion. The people who achieve extraordinary things are often not the most talented in the room. They are simply the ones who recognize opportunity and have the courage to move when it appears.

June is here. A new month means new possibilities, new conversations, new partnerships, and new opportunities waiting to be discovered.

When your window opens, be ready to walk through it.

Happy New Month. Happy New Week.

#MondayMotivation #MusicCustodian #CreativeExcellence #AfricanCreatives #NewMonth
From Tiwa Savage and Black Sherif to Patoranking, From Tiwa Savage and Black Sherif to Patoranking, Ruger, Asake and Bella Shmurda, explore the sounds defining African music this week on Music Custodian’s Afrobeats Heat Different playlist.

This week’s edition is led by a simple truth: greatness is not just about staying visible. It is about remaining relevant.

That is why @tiwasavage sits at the centre of this week’s playlist. Appearing on both Energy alongside Wande Coal and Mavo, and Lady with KFMD, Qing Madi and Flavour, Tiwa continues to show why she remains one of the most important and enduring voices in African music.

Beyond the cover star, this edition curated by @oyedeji_ayodeji captures the richness and diversity of the continent’s soundscape. 

From Black Sherif’s commanding Swagga and the infectious chemistry of Blaqbonez and Asake on Chanel, to the Afro-dancehall energy of Patoranking and Ruger’s Shake That, the playlist moves through multiple moods, styles and territories.

You will also find standout records from Young Jonn, Kunmie, Lojay, Joeboy, FAVE, Shatta Wale, Joey B, Bella Shmurda and many more artists helping shape the future of African music.

Spanning Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast and the UK diaspora, this week’s selection reflects a continent that continues to innovate, collaborate and push creative boundaries.

Thirty songs. Multiple countries. One evolving African soundtrack.

This is Afrobeats Heat Different.

🎧 Cover Star: Tiwa Savage
🔥 Featured Track: Energy (feat. Wande Coal & Mavo)

Which record are you running back first?

#AfrobeatsHeatDifferent #TiwaSavage #AfricanMusic #Afrobeats #MusicCustodian
FC Barcelona’s latest Spotify activation with @a FC Barcelona’s latest Spotify activation with @alejandrobalde and @zlatan_ibile quietly says something much bigger about modern global culture.

During the playful “Pre-Game Mixtape” conversation, Balde casually reveals he listens to Happiness by Asake before matches- prompting Zlatan’s surprised:
“You really listen to Afrobeats?”

And honestly? That tiny exchange captures where African music now exists globally.

Inside locker rooms.
Inside stadium culture.
Inside football identity.
Inside the emotional soundtrack of elite sport itself.

Afrobeats is no longer entering the global sports conversation from the outside.

It’s already part of the atmosphere. ⚽🎶🌍

#FCBarcelona #Afrobeats #ZlatanIbile #Asake #MusicCustodian
Nearly four years after the emotional resonance an Nearly four years after the emotional resonance and breakout success of The Other Side, @nikita_kering is preparing to unveil what may be her most fearless and self-defined body of work yet.

Blending R&B, dancehall riddims, Gengetone textures, multilingual storytelling, and rap experimentation, the project also features @sofiyanzau - East Africa’s current highest streamed artist globally.

Across the years between projects, Nikita’s artistic journey has unfolded publicly in ways that mirror the very themes now shaping the forthcoming release: independence, reclamation, self-worth, emotional boundaries, and creative autonomy.

More than just a release, Lick Back feels like the sound of an artist reclaiming authorship over her own story.

And honestly? That may be Nikita Kering’s most powerful era yet.

#NikitaKering #EastAfricanMusic #AfricanMusic #RnB #MusicCustodian
Ka bu bai - “Don’t Leave.” On her latest re Ka bu bai - “Don’t Leave.”

On her latest release, Guinea-Bissau’s Karyna Gomes turns longing into poetry, capturing the ache of distance, migration, love, and the unbearable softness of goodbye.

There’s something deeply human about this record. Gentle. Fragile. Intimate. The kind of song that reminds you how African music continues to carry emotion beyond language, borders, and geography.

As African music increasingly expands globally, stories like these deserve deeper visibility too - especially from Lusophone Africa, whose musical ecosystems remain vastly underexplored despite their richness and cultural depth.

Read now on Music Custodian.

Written by @ifatimasani for @musiccustodian
📍Link in bio.

#MusicCustodian #KarynaGomes #GuineaBissau #LusophoneAfrica #AfricanMusic
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