Africa Music Rising Conference starts on 23 May

The programme can be accessed on its official website, with tickets available for purchase here.

Founded in 2018 by female creatives SJ Nicholson, Sharon Ramoshaba, DJ La Vita, Jules Spielmann and Namakau Star, ARMC promises to be a game-changer for African music. The conference is known for its mix of local and international delegates, with a focus on both the urban and electronic music industries, and the connections they provide between Afro-Europe and the rest of the world. 

The value of partnerships

ARMC has established strong partnerships, which will see Southern African creatives and a delegation of German music professionals share their expertise.

Confirmed local speakers include Claire Metais (Music In Africa), Mzi Kaka (Academy of Sound Engineering and Hot 1027), Tamara Dey (artist), Winnie Khumalo (artist), Zandi Nhlapo (business woman), Hloni Modise (Basadi Music Awards) and Shiba Melissa Mazaza (Mount Makeda).

Speakers from Germany, attending the conference courtesy of the Berlin Music Commission and Berlin Partner, will be represented by Re.Decay music producer and label owner Owen Ross, GROOVE magazine editor Alexis Waltz, WOMEX/Piranha Arts head of communications Gaurav Narula, and Berlin-based creative Maureen ‘Mo’ Mutheu. Others are WISE founder Philipp Geffer, Stil vor Talent co-founder and CEO Slawjana Ulrich, entrepreneur Peer-Uli May, MA Music Academy Berlin managing director Karin Mueller, and AFEM events and communications manager Thilini Jayawickrama.

Through these partnerships, delegates from Germany, Zambia and South Africa will foster connections with artists and executives in one of the world’s most innovative music markets.

The following are some of the topics that will be discussed: Queens of the 90s & 2000s – History of the South African Landscape by Legends, Artist-Manager Collaboration: Key to Music Industry Success, Rhyme and Reason: The Evolution of Hip Hop and Its Impact on Today’s Youth, Music Meets Virtual Reality: The Future Ahead, German Music Market: Insights from Experts and Optimising Music Revenue: Recognition Tech, Live Collection and Distribution.

Showcases and workshops

Showcases are essential to ARMC’s business model, which fosters collaborations between artists, with the aim to expose Africa’s diverse music scene while also providing a forum for networking. Performances will be held on 23 and 24 May under the title ARMC By Night. The first batch of artists includes Bholoja (Swaziland), Aka Kelzz (Germany), Venior (Finland), The Planetoids (Germany), Namakau Star (SA), Natasha Chansa (Zambia) and Yolophonik (SA), among others. The second night will be graced by South African amapiano artist Boohle, who will be joined by local electronic acts including Deep Aztec, Chronicle Deep, Black Villain, Rose Bonica and DJ Kmat as well as El Mukuka (Zambia), ALBI X (Germany) and Megatronic (UK).

In keeping with ARMC’s vision to develop independent artists, the event will host two Pioneer DJ Workshops, led by Bridges for Music, where artists and producers will learn how to DJ on the spot. In the course of this two-day workshop, aspiring DJs without equipment will also learn skills that might lead to revenue opportunities in the future. 

“At Pioneer DJ, we want to help change the diversity of the global music industry by giving opportunities to folks who may not get them otherwise,” EMEA channel marketing manager Will Dinsdale said. “That’s why we’re working with ARMC to put on two workshops with our partner Bridges for Music next week to offer a free-of-charge opportunity for people to get their hands on our equipment, taught by professionals.”

Another workshop, titled Sound Mind Mental Health Awareness, will address the unique mental health challenges faced by music industry professionals. Presented and developed by Zambian artist and psychologist Naimah, the session will aim to provide participants with practical tools to manage their mental well-being and offer a safe space for meaningful discussions that can help break down stigma and promote mental wellness.

Tickets to Africa Music Rising Conference are available for purchase here. Find out more about the event here.