INCLUDING MR EAZI, FOCALISTIC, TRESOR AND NOMCEBO ZIKODE YOUTH AND ENTERTAINMENT CHANNELS, MTV AFRICA, MTV BASE AND BET AFRICA OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER TO MIDEM AFRICA
Paris, June 08 2021 – Three weeks ahead of its opening, Midem today unveils highlights of its online Midem Africa programme, which will feature exclusive keynotes from the region’s leading players, with contributions from Warner, and data intelligence insights from MRC Data. Powerhouse artist, Mr Eazi, will also address the audience in a must-see keynote, and Focalistic, the South African amapiano star. ViacomCBS Networks Africa are announced as official media partners to Midem Africa with youth culture and entertainment channels, MTV Base and BET Africa, who will be offering exclusive artist content.
Free and open to all, Midem Africa will take place on the Midem Digital platform, from 28 June to 01 July. Midem Africa, the first pan-African digital music event dedicated to the continent’s most vibrant music markets, will run across four days, mapping the African music industries. The itinerary includes a pan-African conference programme with unique keynotes and presentations alongside an exclusive business accelerator programme for DIY artists and execs.
Alexandre Deniot, Midem Director, says, “Midem Africa, just like Midem, will be the place where the world’s industry leaders share their vision on the future of the music business. It’s an honour to reunite the most influential local music players and their regional and international counterparts with some truly great artists.”
EXCLUSIVE KEYNOTES AND PANELS WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS AND POWERHOUSE ARTISTS
● A Talk with Mr Eazi: Globalising Afrobeats & Empowering the Next Generation
● A Talk with Focalistic: The Global Rise of Amapiano
● The Music Industry in Africa Today & Tomorrow: a Perspective From Warner Music with: Temi Adeniji, MD, Warner Music South Africa & SVP, Strategy, Sub-Saharan Africa, Warner Music Group (South Africa), Moe Hamzeh, MD, North Africa & Middle East, Warner Music Group (Lebanon) & Alfonso Perez-Soto, President, Emerging Markets, Warner Music Group (USA).
Temi Adeniji, MD, Warner Music South Africa & SVP, Strategy, Sub-Saharan Africa, Warner Music Group, says, “This is a great opportunity to talk about what’s happening in Africa beyond the hype and the headlines. Midem is such an amazing platform for these types of more detailed discussion. Despite the global pandemic, we’ve seen the industry grow at pace in Africa – more stars from the region breaking out globally, more deals to expand the market across the continent, and more steps taken to develop a sustainable ecosystem. But there are many more challenges to overcome and opportunities to seize in the years ahead.”
● Why is Africa a good market to enter for music tech startups? Panel with Juliet Emihuan, Director West Africa, Google (Nigeria), Catherine Lückhoff, CEO, 20fifty (South Africa) EXCLUSIVE DATA ON THE AFRICAN MUSIC MARKET The programme will feature presentations sharing exclusive data on music consumption in Africa, offering an understanding of the business opportunities across the continent and its impact on the global music space.
● Africa’s Role in a Global Music Marketplace by Helena Kosinski, VP Global, MRC Data
ARTISTS & CREATION AT THE HEART OF MIDEM AFRICA With artists and the creative process at the core of the music industry and integral to Midem’s DNA, Midem Africa welcomes some of the region’s most exciting and influential talent:
– Power trio, A’salfo (Ivory Coast), Fally Ipupa (RDC) & Youssou N’Dour (Senegal)
– Nomcebo Zikode, iconic singer of the global smash hit, Jerusalema (South Africa)
– Bongo Flava superstar, Vanessa Mdee (Tanzania)
– Award-winning Afropop, dancehall and reggae artist, Stonebwoy (Ghana)
– Grime artist, Afrikan Boy (UK/Nigeria)
– Pop/R&B sensation Shekhinah (South Africa)
– Afropop, Afrobeats & hip-hop artist & music exec Salatiel (Cameroon)
– Tresor, Singer, Songwriter, Producer and Entrepreneur (South Africa), who
comments, “Excited to be joining Midem Africa to discuss our forever evolving music
industry on the continent. Proud to be part of this generation shaping a new marriage
for African music globally. It’s a really exciting time for African music and creative
sector as the world has finally turned its full attention to this incredible source of great
music.”
VIACOMCBS NETWORKS AFRICA (VCNA) youth culture and entertainment
brands MTV Base and BET Africa will be the official Midem Africa media partner,
presenting exclusive content. “It’s through the power of industry collaborations and
partnerships that we are able to elevate and enable Africa’s music innovation, creativity
and talent,” said Monde Twala, SVP and GM at VCNA, “Through our youth and
entertainment channels we provide local and international platforms to showcase the best
of Africa’s artists and youth culture to the continent and the world.”
Midem Africa thanks its attending & partnering companies including: Billboard –
Boomplay – Downtown Music Publishing – Empire – emPawa – Freeme Digital –
Fuga – Google – IFPI – Mavin Records – Merlin – Mdnudo – MRC Data – Music in
Africa – Nyege Nyege – Okay Africa – Patreon – PopArabia – PRS for Music – Pulse
– Sheer Publishing Africa – SoundCloud – Songtrust – Sony Music Publishing –
Spotify – The Orchard – TikTok – Trace – Universal Music Africa – VCNA – Warner
Music Group – Women in Music – YouTube
WATCH THE MIDEM AFRICA TRAILER HERE
VIEW THE FULL MIDEM AFRICA PROGRAMME HERE
To Editors :
About Midem – Home of the Global Music Community, Midem is the world’s leading music business event, which unites, connects, serves and supports the global music ecosystem to exchange, create, play, forge relationships and shape the future of the industry. With a rich 4-day programme of conferences, competitions, networking events and live performances, music makers, cutting-edge technology companies, brands and talent come together to enrich the passionate relationship between people and music, transform audience engagement and form new business connections.
About Midem Digital – The Midem digital platform aims to bring the global music community together online to stimulate discussion, share solutions, and achieve a better understanding of what is ahead for our industry in the post-COVID era. It allows participants to seize new business opportunities and network with relevant business partners on a global scale, thanks to international forums and masterclasses by music tech entrepreneurs and artists, as well as conferences with key players in the international music community.
MIDEM AFRICA PRESS CONTACTS:
Philippe LE GALL, Press Manager: +33 1 79 71 96 48 >
Edith YAHIAOUI, Press Officer: +33 1 79 71 94 34 >
[email protected]
VCNA PRESS CONTACT:
Fathima BECKMANN, Communications Director
[email protected]
