ACCES 2021 joins forces with Bassline for I AM HERE concert

Rapper extraordinaire Stogie T (South Africa) as well as female powerhouses Thandiswa Mazwai (South Africa) and Sampa the Great (Zambia) will headline the concert, which is organised in celebration of “being alive and African,” Bassline said. Other artists on the bill are Laliboi (South Africa), Moonga K (Botswana), Morena Leraba (Lesotho) and Ikati Esengxoweni (South Africa).

Bassline is an official festival partner of the fourth edition of ACCES, and I AM HERE will form part of the conference’s live music programme. The in-person concert will be in line with COVID-19 regulations and will be available for streaming via the Music In Africa Foundation’s social media channels and Bassline Fest’s partners.

“The Bassline team has championed the celebration and discovery of African talent for many years,” Music In Africa Foundation director Eddie Hatitye said. “We at the Music In Africa Foundation are delighted to finally get the opportunity to join forces with Bassline with the goal to produce a memorable event.”

I AM HERE forms part of Bassline’s From Lockdown to Live project, which spans the pandemic period of 2020-22. The concert series consists of I AM HOME, I AM HERE and I AM LIVE. I AM HERE will be the second production in the series, after Bassline held I AM HOME in May. That concert was in celebration of Africa Day and featured a pre-recorded set by Sampa the Great. It also hosted top African musicians including Ami Faku (South Africa), Tems (Nigeria), Sun-El Musician (South Africa) and Baaba Maal (Senegal), among others. The trilogy of concerts will conclude with I AM LIVE in 2022. 

Featuring international speakers, networkers and showcasing artists, ACCES offers a strong conference programme that includes industry talks, pitch and networking sessions, workshops, music performances and an exhibition.

Delegates who register early for ACCES will get a free pass to attend the I AM HERE show. Due to restrictions, there are limited passes available (200). Once these passes are depleted, delegates will have to buy tickets for this particular show via Computicket or Howler. All the other ACCES shows are free and on a first-come, first-served basis.

For concert updates, visit Bassline’s Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages.

About ACCES

The Music In Africa Conference for Collaborations, Exchange and Showcases, or simply ACCES, is a pan-African trade event for music industry players to exchange ideas, discover new talent and create business linkages. ACCES is held in a different African city every year, attracting active music industry players from across the globe. It is organised by the Music In Africa Foundation, a non-profit and pan-African organisation, in partnership with Siemens Stiftung, Goethe-Institut, Reeperbahn Festival International and Bassline.

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