How many African singers do you know about? Africa is a vast continent, rich in both Culture and history. One of the few things that define Africa is in its music. There are thousands of tribes and languages which all incorporate different genres of music and dance in their culture.
If you’re visiting an African country, and are looking to experience the local culture, nothing beats it like a music festival.
In this digital age, it is straightforward to stream music through the internet. Let’s be honest; nothing can ever beat the experience you get from live music. One of the few ways that Africa has been able to incorporate live music is through music festivals. It is an excellent way for people from all over Africa and the diaspora to come and experience the art and culture of African music. The cradle of humankind never falls short of music festivals which celebrates both traditional and modern sounds.
In no particular order here is a look at some of the top music festivals in Africa that you should never miss in the continent.
Mawazine
If you have ever visited Morocco, then I am sure that you have heard of the Mawazine music festival. When we are talking about the Mawazine Festival, we are talking about it being the most significant festival not only in Africa but one of the biggest in the whole world. The week-long celebration has over 2 million attendees from all over the world. In 2016 the festival was named as the biggest music festival in the entire world with an average of 277000 people in a day.
The 2019 edition will see both local and international artists headlining the event. It will begin on June Friday 21 and end on the 29th of the same month.
Sauti za Busara is a Swahili term which means Sounds of Wisdom. The festival is held every February on the island of Zanzibar in Tanzania. The event which is one of the biggest in East Africa is 100% African live music. This is unlike other festivals which have a mixture of both Western and African music. The festival has led to the growth of Swahili music known as taarab. If you are looking for some good all African live music, then you should definitely attend Sauti za Busara.
Cape Town International Jazz Festival
If you are a lover of Jazz, then Cape Town is the place that you should be. It hosts one of the best Jazz lineups from all over the world. Moreover, it does feature not only jazz artists but also artists from other genres such as hip hop, soul, funk and Afropop. If you attend the event, then you will understand why it is dubbed as Africa’s Grandest Gathering.
Which of these are you going to go first to? Let us know which African music festivals fascinate you.
