Tanzania: Singeli Music Festival returns for second edition

The festival was launched last year to develop and internationalise singeli music and its artists. The genre’s signature sound consists of fast-paced beats and loops coupled with energetic MCs who often employ satirical lyrics. 

The line-up includes Kinata MC, Balaa MC, Msaga Sumu, Man Fongo, Mzee Wa Bwax, Meja Kunta, Dulla Makabila, Dogo Elisha, Seneta, Mimah, Vairas Mdudu, Lau Nation, Mackzube, Pk Mr Konk, Six Bullet, 16 Mczo Morfani, Dogo Toma, Dakota Mtu Hatari, Nicky Nyashy, Buda Zoni, Sholo Mwamba, Dokiii and Cadilida.

“Singeli is buoyed by raw talent blessed with intricate entertaining skills, the kind that keeps the crowd on their feet for hours,” Singeli Music Festival founder Masudi Kandoro told Music In Africa. “We consider this genre a global prospect, a dance music genre that has the potential to become as ubiquitous as amapiano and other African sounds that have crossed to the West.

“Singeli has become mainstream to the extent that bongo flava artists are now doing more collaborations with our artists in order to tap into this new terrain. We hope that through this annual festival, more of our artists will go mainstream in the region and that new acts will be discovered.”

Kandoro says the potential of the genre remains largely untapped due to various challenges, including artists’ a lack of marketing and branding skills, which can aid them to identify their unique positioning in the music industry at home and abroad.

Another issue, according to Kandoro, is the lack of royalty payouts from TV and radio stations for the use of singeli musical works.

“We would like the organisation tasked with representing and protecting artists on copyright-related issues to work and ensure that artists are remunerated. Lastly, music distributors play a vital role in getting music to the fans. However, many singeli musicians do not utilise most of them, so they end up losing on streaming royalties,” he said.

These challenges will be discussed at a workshop for singeli musicians, producers, DJs, video directors and dancers at Nafasi Art Space in Dar es Salaam on 26 October.

“The workshop is primarily advantageous to individuals with creative inclinations and an entrepreneurial approach to income generation,” Kandoro said. “The speakers will impart business skills to musicians and music business practitioners.”