ACCES 2024 announces first batch of showcasing artists

The pan-African music trade show offers a platform for industry professionals from across Africa and around the globe to connect, collaborate and experience performances from emerging and established artists. Registrations for ACCES 2024 are now open on a first-come, first-served basis here. 

Drawn from across the continent, the selected performing acts include Octopizzo (Kenya), Assa Matusse (Mozambique), Aurus (Reunion), Impakanizi (Rwanda), Youbana (Morocco), Bantu Spaceship (Zimbabwe), Def Mama Def (Senegal), Joel Ruti (Rwanda), Kaya Byinshii (Rwanda), Jordan Moozy (Botswana) and Zaki Ibrahim (South Africa). 

Collectively, their music orbits a host of genres including jazz, hip hop, mbalax, gakondo, Afropop, soul, folk, Afro-R&B and the blues. More artists will be announced soon.

Octopizzo

Octopizzo, behind critically acclaimed albums like Jungle Fever and FUGEO, typically takes the hip hop and R&B routes. He is widely referenced for his impactful lyrics and fearless advocacy. He is the author of Refugeenius, on which he collaborated with some 20 refugees from the Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps. He is recognised globally as an artist who has a strong passion for community outreach and youth empowerment. 

Assa Matusse

Renowned for her unique sound that comprises fusions of world music, marrabenta and jazz, Assa Matusse boasts a powerful voice and even more powerful performances. At ACCES, she will perform songs from a growing catalogue, including her new album Mutchangana, which honours her father and the Bantu people. 

Aurus

Bastien Picot, aka Aurus, brings a pop hybrid style that blends various sounds, starting with the maloya rhythms of his birthplace, orchestral pop, polyphonic acrobatics and synth patterns, into an energetic live act. Known for often wearing ornate headgear during his performances, he renders his music in Creole and English, making for a truly unique style that has seen him mesmerise audiences around the world. 

Impakanizi

Impakanizi specialises in Rwandan gakondo music, bringing a rich cultural heritage to the stage with a modern twist. His debut single ‘Umunyabigwi’ is a prime example of this musical style. The ACCES audience will taste this boundary-pushing style first-hand, as well as ‘Ingabe’, the focus track off his debut EP.

Youbana

Youbana, who excels in playing several instruments, is best known for gems like ‘Tangra’ and ‘Chaksbili’, which employ modern elements while preserving African and Moroccan cultural heritage. He has actively participated in numerous events and festivals as well as local and regional competitions.

Bantu Spaceship

Bantu Spaceship embodies new ‘jit wave’ music, a genre that honours traditional Zimbabwean sounds while updating them with contemporary influences. The collective injects their music with with everything from synthwave to amapiano, hip hop, mbalax and funk disco. 

Def Mama Def

Def Mama Def is a dynamic collaboration between two rising stars of Senegalese hip hop: Mamy Victory, known for her powerful stage presence in Dakar's urban music scene, and Defa, a sought-after R&B vocalist. Their partnership unites Senegalese cultural themes with international pulses.

Ruti Joel

Ruti Joel performs gakondo music, combining traditional Rwandan sounds with modern elements. The singer, whose Musomandera album was released in 2023, began his musical journey through an apprenticeship with the esteemed Gakondo Group. The breakthrough success of his debut song 'Diyarabi' and subsequent hits like 'Igikobwa' underscored his growing influence in the local music scene.

Kaya Byinshii

Kaya Byinshii blends soul, folk, blues and world music, inspired by her cultural roots and faith. Byinshii burst onto the music scene in 2020 with her EP Nyabyinshi, which honours Rwandese spirituality. 

Jordan Moozy

Jordan Moozy is an Afropop and acoustic artist whose emotive and engaging performances have garnered him a strong following. The self-styled ‘Gen Z Afropilitan’ offers a layered, multilingual blend of R&B, pop, alté, highlife and hip hop. He is behind the De'Grace LP and is the recipient of the Best R&B and Best Collaboration Award at the 2021 Yarona FM Awards. 

Zaki Ibrahim

Zaki Ibrahim, a popular live performer whose work has taken her all overEurope, brings Afro-R&B and soul music to the stage backed by a discography that showcases versatility and depth. Her collections include the Sho: Iqra in Orange (2006) and Eclectica: Episodes in Purple (2008) EPs, as well as the Every Opposite LP boasting a unique mix of hip hop, R&B, soulful jazz and spoken word.