House on Fire launches CollaboNation 2024

Initiated by House on Fire in eSwatini in 2022, CollaboNation connects musicians from different African countries through the creation of unique cross-border and cross-genre songs. 

“CollaboNation was born out of the COVID-19 pandemic as an answer to the question: in this time of restrictions on travels and physical interactions, how can we support artist brands and arts, mobility while actively stimulating dynamic new work?” House on Fire and MTN Bushfire director Jiggs Thorne says.

The creative team behind MTN Bushfire has thus harnessed the power of collaborations to support artists, capacitate dynamic new African content creation, and thematically bring together the past and the future in a celebration of cultural roots – to validate identity, culture and heritage. More than supporting and connecting artists, CollaboNation also capacitates the region’s music sector through training and mentorship.

At the recent launch in Johannesburg, Thorne took to the stage to talk about CollaboNation’s work and was joined by 2023 collaborators Mokoomba (Zimbabwe) and Morena Leraba (Lesotho). He shared some behind-the-scenes stories while videos of CollaboNation’s first iteration were projected on a screen behind him.

The project’s main objective is “to create something that would be able to sustain itself, beyond SCF funding,” Thorne said. He added that he and his team were in the process of identifying potential partners and funders in order to continue with CollaboNation’s work, and that interest in the project was now coming from beyond Africa, with Latin American artists requesting to collaborate with their African counterparts. This, he said, would open a future of more collaborations within the larger Global South. 

This year’s edition has been expanded to all African countries, while the first edition was restricted to the following 9 countries in southern Africa: Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi; Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia & Zimbabwe.

Morena Leraba said: “As musicians, when we meet at international festivals, we always promise each other to collaborate. We lie to each other when we say our goodbyes at airports, saying we will stay in touch and collaborate, but when we go back to our respective homes, nothing happens. So, CollaboNation is the push artists need to make these collaborations happen.” 

Agreeing with Leraba, Mokoomba manager Marcus Gora said CollaboNation provided much-needed logistical coordination that most African artists could not manage on their own. “CollaboNation afforded us the incredible opportunity to connect and work with Morena Leraba from Lesotho, in an environment of mutual learning and respect,” Gora said. “We are extremely proud of the song we recorded, ‘Chisimo’, which speaks to both of our musical styles and our cultural traditions. We were very excited to share this new sound with a global audience. Thanks to MTN Bushfire and the Sounds Connect Fund for making this project possible.”

Music In Africa Foundation director Eddie Hatitye, representing CollaboNation funding partner the Sounds Connect Fund, said: “The Music In Africa Foundation’s Sound Connects Fund team and all the partners involved in this initiative are blown away by the creative output of CollaboNation. We are pleased and excited to see the emphasis on collaboration exchange and sustainability that has been demonstrated throughout this project. Bringing together artists from different countries and different artistic backgrounds to make such compelling creative projects and performances has never been done in this format before.” 

In 2023, CollaboNation matched up Mokoomba and Morena Leraba as well as Thobile Makhoyane (eSwatini) and The Hood Brodz (Mozambique). Apart from creating new tracks and their videos, the artists got to perform at MTN Bushfire 2023 and recently at the 17th Marrabenta Festival in Mozambique.

Interested artists can apply for CollaboNation 2024 here before 7 March.