Fireboy DML and Tyla make Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 Class of 2024

Now marking its 10th year, the list highlights 30 outstanding achievers under the age of 30 from various fields including the creative arts, business, technology, sports and health across the African continent.

The artists add to an expanding raft of African musicians who have been named in the list in previous years, including Tems, Ayra Starr, Focalistic, Mr Eazi, Davido, Wizkid, Sho Madjozi, Nasty C, Kabza De Small and Burna Boy. 

Fireboy DML, who just played Coachella Festival, is behind some of Afrobeats’ best known hits, most notably ‘Peru’. The singer, a recipient of multiple high-profile honours including a  BMI London Award in 2023, is also gearing up for the release of his fourth studio album this year. 

Tyla, a 2024 Grammy winner, is among Africa’s biggest breakout stars lately, thanks to her runaway hit ‘Water’, which has been certified platinum in South Africa and made her the highest charting African female soloist in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Her self-titled debut album has also enjoyed international acclaim since its release. 

“It has been 10 years of showcasing tomorrow’s titans and billionaires,” Forbes Africa managing editor Renuka Methil said ahead of the announcement. “This list continues to draw great interest from our readers, young and old. And on a continent with the world’s youngest population, it’s more pertinent than ever to unravel these young movers and shakers who will be tomorrow’s global newsmakers.”

Meanwhile, Forbes will host its third annual Under 30 Summit Africa from 5 to 8 May in Gaborone, Botswana, with American entertainer Nick Cannon as the headliner.

“Botswana is increasingly recognised worldwide as one of the best destinations for doing business in Africa,” Forbes Under 30 editor Kristin Stoller said. “With its wealth of resources to entrepreneurs, this is the ideal location to bring our Under 30 community together to network and ignite crucial conversations focused on advancing Africa’s growth and unlocking new ideas in business.”