Nigeria’s Moonlight Afriqa joins Apple Music Up Next programme

The Afro-fusion act joins a group of emerging African artists such as South African neo soul singer Roho and Ghana’s OliveTheBoy to be included in the programme this month.

“Grateful to be featured in Apple Music’s development programme,” he said. “It’s never too late to be who you are meant to be, the secret of making progress is to get started.”

Moonlight Afriqa will be featured on Apple Music’s Nigeria’s Up Next playlist, which seeks to propel rising artists by connecting them with a broader audience. This curated playlist showcases a diverse and dynamic class of new and emerging artists, carefully chosen by Apple Music editors worldwide.

Hailing from Edo State, Moonlight Afriqa’s path to a music career started in the church as a boy, learning to play the drums and guitar. His debut EP, Tales By Moonlight, is a dancehall-inspired collection with infectious melodies, catchy hooks and heartfelt lyrics.

Since its launch in 2017, Up Next has served as an important platform for spotlighting up-and-coming stars, with Rema, Burna Boy, Mr Eazi and Tems being among the campaign’s most notable alumni. Other Nigerian artists who have been featured in the programme are Winny, Ogranya, Majeeed, Khaid, Young Jonn and SGaWD, among others