THE Music In Africa Foundation has confirmed the first batch of showcasing acts for this year’s ACCES music market, slated for Kigali, Rwanda, from November 14 to 16.
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.
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 RnB routes.
He is widely referenced for his impactful lyrics and fearless advocacy.
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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 artiste 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
This 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 RnB 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 Afro-pop 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 RnB, 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 over Europe, brings Afro-RnB 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, RnB, soulful jazz and spoken word. — Music in Africa
