AFRIMAs 2023: Youssou N’Dour urges Africans to celebrate their heritage

Put together by the International Committee of the AFRIMAs, in conjunction with the African Union Commission, the scheme rewards outstanding musical feats from the continent. This year’s edition is slated for the Dakar Arena from 12 to 15 January 2023. 

“All Africa Music Awards is the most prestigious ceremony dedicated to music and African artists and its diaspora,” N’Dour, a former Senegalese tourism and culture minister, said.

The singer, who was this week named in Rolling Stone’s list of the 200 Best Singers of All Time, added: “All the most beautiful aspects of Senegalese and African culture will be in the news for at least four days. I, therefore, invite all Senegalese musicians to come and celebrate African music together.”

The AFRIMAs will commence on Thursday, 12 January with a host country tour, school visit and gift presentation (as part of AFRIMAs’ corporate social responsibility) and a welcome soirée in the evening.

The ceremony continues on Friday with the Africa Music Business Summit (AMBS) at the Grand Theatre, in Dakar. The AMBS is Africa’s largest gathering of creative professionals in the music industry and it features workshops and panel discussions on issues and opportunities within the African music industry.

The eighth AFRIMAs will be broadcast by 104 TV stations to over 84 countries around the world. Costa Titch (South Africa), Dadju (DRC), Didi B (Ivory Coast), Wegz (Egypt), DJ Snake (Algeria) and Soolking (Algeria) all received multiple nominations. Top Nigerian artists like Burna Boy, Fireboy DML, Kizz Daniel and Tiwa Savage have also been shortlisted.

YouTube recently announced a strategic partnership with AFRIMAs that will see the video-sharing company conduct workshop sessions on visibility across the global creative ecosystem ahead of the main ceremony.

Fans can vote for their favourite artists here until 11 January.