Apple Music unveils Africa Rising Class of ‘24

Running since 2020, the artist development programme has showcased the brightest emerging talent from around the continent, and the new roster spotlights artists to watch this year.

“With the eyes and ears of the world firmly fixed on Africa and its vibrant music scene, Africa Rising has seen many of the continent’s biggest new stars get their first international look including Omah Lay, Rema, Tems, Ayra Starr and Amaarae to name a few,” Apple Music said.

The Class of 2024 recipients were featured in an upcoming episode of Africa Now Radio with Nandi Madida that aired on Friday, 12 January,

“I’m just trying to live in the moment and thank God and everyone who supported me,” said Tyla, a 2024 Grammy nominee. “I’m excited for my project to be released and for people to be exposed to more Tyla music, for people to come into my world and see a glimpse of South Africa because we’re dominating at the moment.”

“I believe that this generation of African superstars is being heard to an extent that the past wasn’t,” Qing Madi, an alumna of Spotify’s EQUAL Africa music programme and a Vevo DSCVR artist to watch for 2024, said. “I feel excited to be a part of a new regime of African artists that are being accepted globally, that are being welcomed. And the fact that we are loved for who we are and we’re not trying to be someone that we are not. I’m also excited because my music will reach other parts of the world and I don’t have to water down my music for the fear of who is accepting, I just have to sing and hope that my fans can relate to them.”

On her part, Bloody Civilian, who was recently featured by music discovery platform Shazam in its annual breakthrough predictions list, said: “I think Afrobeats and the sounds of Africa will continue to resonate around the world because it’s such a diverse genre. African music is the source of other genres, and if you listen to music from Africa you can hear how many ways it’s interpolated, and how many ways it’s been created is very diverse, so that’s why it’s resonating around the world because there are so many parts of it that different people can connect with.”

“Nigerian hip hop will definitely keep on growing because we’ve found a way to involve men and women,” Odumodublvck, also named in Spotify’s list of artists to watch for 2024, said. “We keep things fresh, we keep things interesting.”

Maglera Doe Boy said: “This is such a beautiful era for identification, people really sound like where they came from. Depending on where they’re taking from South African culture and paying homage, but also taking what’s current in the culture and mixing it with South Africa flavours, so I’m very excited about the cultural aspect of it. I feel like it’s about to get bigger, which is great for getting the sound to the rest of the world.”

Discover the Africa Rising playlist here.