Ahead of the highly anticipated 8th All-Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) labeled ‘Teranga Edition’ scheduled to take place in Dakar, Senegal from January 12-15, 2023, global entertainment service YouTube partnered with AFRIMA , to help provide artist-focused educational sessions and livestream support for the awards.
As the pinnacle of global recognition for African music, AFRIMA is poised to ensure the annual four-day festival is broadcast to music lovers and stakeholders around the world.
Importantly, YouTube will be holding workshop sessions for African creatives at the Africa Music Business Summit (one of the events at 8th AFRIMA) to educate on visibility across the global creative ecosystem on a digital platform.
The global streaming service will also partner with the All Africa Music Awards on a special incubator program dubbed the AFRIMA Creative Academy, which aims to empower one million Africans (and in the diaspora) in the music industry and creativity in the next five years.
The YouTube link for the live stream will be available on the AFRIMA YouTube page @Youtube.com/AFRIMAAWARDS. Fans can subscribe to the channel for free and watch the African Music Business Summit live on Friday, January 13, 2023, from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm (WAT); while AFRIMA Music Village will be live later that day from 6:00pm to sunrise (WAT). Finally, AFRIMA’s eighth main awards ceremony will be broadcast live from the red carpet at 4:30pm (WAT), while the main awards will kick off at 7:30pm (WAT).
Speaking on development, African Union Commission (AUC) Head of the Culture Division Angela Martins said: “It is important that we spread the word about our efforts to promote inclusion and ensure that the world can see the impact of AFRIMA. in the global center. stage. Now it’s easier for people to keep track of the award ceremony through their smartphone or other devices. It is also vital that we continue to create more education for creators to help them thrive in their trades, and we are happy to align with YouTube to achieve this shared vision.”
For his part, AFRIMA President and Executive Producer, Mr. Mike Dada, praised the streaming service for its support of the African creative economy.
He said: “We have all seen the increase in the circulation of short-form audiovisual content on these services and how they have helped promote African music and creators on a global scale. We believe that knowledge sharing will be a real means of expanding the revenue funnel for our creators at home and also boosting foreign direct investment. In the spirit of uplifting the African creative ecosystem, we are excited to be working with a motivated and innovative team like YouTube.”
Addy Awofisayo, YouTube’s music director for sub-Saharan Africa, also said: “YouTube has been steadfast in its support of creatives in Africa over the years and has played an essential role in the discovery and development of music and African culture and in its export to the public”. and listeners from around the world, allowing for collaborations both locally and globally.
“We are excited about our partnership with AFRIMA and the African Union to deepen our relationship with music stakeholders on the continent, provide educational support to African creatives and help music fans to be a part of some of the most iconic musicals as they go. they play out live on YouTube, wherever they are around the world.”
As the entire world approaches the eighth edition of AFRIMA, African music lovers are encouraged to continue voting vigorously for the desired winners, using the live voting portal at www.afrima.org and participating in the events on social media platforms (IG /TikTok – @afrima.official; Facebook – Afrimawards; Twitter – @afrimaofficial; LinkedIn – AFRIMA). The voting process that determines the winners at AFRIMA is audited by a world-renowned auditing firm, Pricewaterhousecoopers (PWC).
As announced at the conference, delegates are expected to arrive on January 11, 2023. The AFRIMA ceremony is scheduled to kick off in full on Thursday, January 12, 2023, with a tour of the host country, a visit to the school and the presentation of gifts (as part of AFRIMA’s Corporate Social Responsibility), as well as a Welcome Evening in the evening, in Dakar.
The four-day event continues on Friday, January 13, 2023 with the Africa Music Business Summit (AMBS) at the Grand Theater in Dakar. The AMBS is Africa’s largest gathering of creative professionals in the music industry and features workshops and panel discussions on issues and opportunities within the African music industry.
The event will continue with great momentum at the AFRIMA Music Village at the Grand Theatre, which will be a free admission concert featuring live performances from the biggest music stars from across the continent.
On the eve of the award ceremony, on Saturday, January 14, events will kick off with main rehearsals, media engagements and a courtesy call on the President of Senegal. There will also be a live recording booth on site for musicians from the five regions of the continent and in the diaspora to explore collaborative recordings. The day’s activities will culminate in an exclusive party for the nominees.
The 8th AFRIMA will conclude on Sunday, January 15 at the 15,000 capacity Dakar Arena in Dakar, with the award ceremony broadcast live by 104 TV stations to more than 84 countries around the world.
In association with the African Union Commission, AFRIMA is the pinnacle of African music globally.
