Amid speedy progress inside various music markets in Africa, Warner Information has formally introduced a three way partnership label, Shield the Tradition, with former Motown Information normal supervisor (and Warner Music Group Afrobeats advisor) Marc Byers.
Warner Information unveiled its collaboration with Byers and the newly minted Shield the Tradition this morning, about 18 months after the overarching Warner Music acquired a majority curiosity in African distribution and rights-management firm Africori. Shield the Tradition’s first act, Ghana-born and Massachusetts-based Lord Afrixana, has launched a single entitled “No Dey Tire” through the just-revealed label.
In the meantime, in addition to main Shield the Tradition, Marc Byers has signed on as an A&R advisor for Warner Information, and within the position, he’ll focus “on the colourful African music scene,” the concerned events communicated. In an announcement, the previous Atlantic Information A&R exec Byers made clear his plans “to introduce extra than simply sounds popping out of Africa” through Shield the Tradition.
“I’ve a ardour for this style and really feel it is going to be the Pop music of the world,” Byers stated partially. “Lord Afrixana is our first artist on the label and he’s extremely proficient. PTC needs to introduce extra than simply sounds popping out of Africa as a result of Afrobeats is common and extremely various.”
And in a joint remark, Warner Information A&R president Steven Carless in addition to EVP and A&R head Karen Kwak described Byers as “a useful A&R useful resource,” pointing to the signings of the aforementioned “Landing” creator Lord Afrixana and Nigeria-based Pheelz.
Warner Music is hardly alone in making high-profile investments within the African music trade, with Common Music Group having introduced Virgin Music Label & Artist Companies to the continent slightly over one 12 months again.
Extra not too long ago, Extremely Worldwide Music Publishing in direction of 2023’s begin introduced a West African enlargement – together with the rollout of a inventive hub in Lagos, Nigeria. Subsequently, Paris-headquartered Consider disclosed materials income progress in Africa and Asia-Pacific, whereas PRS for Music and Rob Wells’ Orfium that very same month inked a “groundbreaking” Africa-centered partnership.
Lastly, African music streaming upstart Mdundo closed out June by forecasting a roughly 35 p.c month-to-month lively person enhance (to 35 million MAUs) throughout its subsequent fiscal 12 months; the platform is seeking to develop its userbase to 50 million earlier than or throughout 2025.
Targeted primarily on 15 nations in Africa – with a specific emphasis on Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, and Uganda – Mdundo provided entry to 2.2 million tracks as of December of 2022, in accordance with its web site.