The UK's
African Music
Guide
Bringing together the UK's vibrant African music scene
Calabash!
Celebrates Africa!
Africa has the most diverse and exciting music on the planet.
Discover the latest releases – from Africa, the diaspora and homegrown talent in the UK with an African flavour!
Keep up with what’s on – with our events and gig guide dedicated to African music.
Enjoy our playlists – of songs from the latest African music releases and artists on stage in the UK.
COVID 19
It is so wonderful to see a few venues opening up again!
Please follow venue guidelines – lets beat this!
Tony Allen photo credit : Bernard Benant
News, features & reviews
Album of the Month – November 2020
STAR FEMININE BAND
Star Feminine Band are an extraordinary group from Natitingou, a remote town in the north of Benin. The 7 members are aged between 10 and 17 years old, and the only all girl band in Benin.
Their sound is a garage rock style mix of afrobeat,congolese rumba and traditional Beninese rhythm dances. The girls harmonies may sound youthful but their songs are raising awareness about equality and empowerment for African women to a curious growing audience.
#SOULIDARITY – FOR AFRICAN MUSICIANS
Thousands of concerts have been cancelled worldwide due to COVID-19. Hundreds of musicians from the African continent have lost their main income from international concert tours. It is uncertain by when musicians will be able to travel and tour again. Please, join #SOULIDARITY and donate. With your contribution you directly support musicians from the African continent.
Album of the Month – September 2020
Sidi Touré (Mali) – Afrik Toun Mé.
Full of lively acoustic Malian melodies and blues guitar riffs that radiate perpetual positive energy as Touré’s emotive voice sings about courage against adversity and urges people to embrace knowledge as a tool to unite Africa.
Touré has created a dazzling album of real optimism.
Ethiopian Records crowdfunding for Survival and Unity
Ethiopia Records, innovators of ther Ethiopiyawi electronic music scene has launched a fundraiser due to the COVID pandemic putting in jeopardy the future of the label and its staff based in Addis Ababa.
The fundraiser is for a 10 track double EP called Wel (ወል) with 2 videos and an array of works of art to be released in November 2020.
Supporters of the Wel project can receive various goodies including a pre-order copy of the EP to a private virtual tour and interactive music lessons
Don't miss these
live and online events!
SONGLINES MUSIC AWARDS 2020 CEREMONY
The 2020 Songlines Music Awards ceremony is going virtual and will be broadcast live, free of charge, at 7pm GMT on Sunday December 13. Presented again by Cerys Matthews, we’ll be announcing the nominees & winners in all nine categories, including the two winners still to be revealed: Newcomer and World Pioneer. Plus, we’ll have performances from all of this year’s winning artists including Bassekou Kouyaté, Blick Bassy, Cimarrón, Jambinai, Kefaya + Elaha Soroor, Lankum and Leyla McCalla as well as some very special guests.
Out on the town
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