SA: Africa Rising Music Conference unveils spotlight country

The event will be held at partner venues including Newtown Junction, the Market Theatre, AMPD Studios, City Lodge Hotels and Niki’s Jazz Club. It comes against a backdrop of the meteoric rise in the popularity of African music around the globe.

Newly confirmed speakers include amapiano curator Phodii (SA), Ferocious Talent managing director Kwame Kwaten (UK), Jazz re:freshed co-founder Justin McKenzie (UK), A&R strategist and entertainer Geobek (SA), Ableton trainer Emile Hoogenhout (SA) and Trace Southern and Lusophone Africa managing director Valentine Gaudin-Muteba (France/SA).

The organisers of ARMC have also confirmed partnerships with PRS Foundation to facilitate the mobility of South London singer and rapper Keyah/Blu and London-based Moroccan artist Rita Kamale.

Keyah/Blu is known for tracks like ‘til bliss’ and ‘Sweet’, and is set to captivate the ARMC 2024 audience with her unique sound, while Rita Kamale will showcase her creative intensity and lyrical prowess, offering conference attendees a taste of her engaging singles like ‘FEAR LESS’.

The conference will also feature workshops and panel discussions. Previously confirmed speakers include singer Busiswa, rapper and Northstarr Entertainment Inc president DO Gibson, TV presenter and actor Maps Maponyane, DJ Buhle, producer Josephine Zwaan, drummer Dominic Mcnabb, Beatport’s PHODII, Audiomack’s Charlotte Bwana, the Southern African Music Rights Association’s Monde Mtyolo and the National Arts Council’s Zothani Vilakazi.

The full conference and showcase programme will be announced at the end of April.

ARMC was created with the vision of building bridges, fostering independent voices from Africa and amplifying underrepresented artists. It serves as a vibrant platform for artists, producers, music professionals and fans from across the globe to converge, celebrate and redefine music. Each year, ARMC leads the charge in facilitating African discourse and international collaborations, shaping the music landscape on a global scale.

The conference is supported by Ableton, Yamaha, Trace, Music In Africa, Hype Magazine and TikTok.

Attendees can secure their phase one tickets for free here, with phase two tickets available at the end of the month at a set price.