Nine African artists confirmed for SXSW 2020

African artists who will showcase at the 2020 SXSW include South African musicians Cassper Nyovest, AKA, Amanda Black, Moonchild Sanelly, Nadia Nakai and Samthing Soweto. They will be joined by Nigerian singers Simi and Lady Donli as well as Lesotho’s Morena Leraba.

The festival, which is in its 34th edition, will also feature artists from around the world such as Declan J Donovan (UK), Hachiku (Australia), The Jones Family Singers (US), Just Mustard (Ireland), Kælan Mikla (Iceland), Martha Wash (US), The Murder Capital (Ireland), Nanpa Básico (Colombia) and The Orielles (UK). Click here for the full list.

“This is the first of several announcements revealing the wide array of showcasing artists who will perform for the international creative community at SXSW,” SXSW said. “These showcases give attendees the opportunity to experience tomorrow’s headliners in small-stage performances at unique venues in downtown Austin.

“Every year, the SXSW music festival programmers present a genre-spanning and genre-defying line-up of artists from around the world, with established performers playing alongside bold new acts. The result is a unique live music experience where industry pros and music lovers discover an unparalleled range of artists and styles.”

Keynote speakers confirmed

SXSW has also announced the initial keynotes and featured speakers for its 2020 conference. Some of the featured speakers include reality TV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines (US), musician Benny Blanco (US), filmmaker Robert Rodriguez (US), author Shoshana Zuboff (US) and entrepreneur Chris Hughes (US).

"We’re kicking off the 2020 season with a captivating group of speakers,” SXSW chief programming officer Hugh Forrest said. “From keynotes Reggie Fils-Aimé, who oversaw Nintendo of America during its most successful era, and Kim Gordon, a creative virtuoso whose passion and achievements have paved the way for others, to our diverse range of expert featured speakers, these talents prove that SXSW is the premier destination for innovation and creative discovery. We’ve also added new tracks and more programming to the second half of the week, as our event evolves to reflect the continued convergence of the industries who gather here."

The SXSW conference is organised into 22 programming tracks, divided between music, interactive, film and convergence themes, and presented in a variety of session formats. The 2020 conference will present several new and updated tracks, including climate and social action, connection and culture, game industry, and professional development.

Meanwhile, applications to showcase at SXSW are still open. The application deadline is 25 October.