Singeli pioneer Sholo Mwamba to speak and perform at ACCES 2022

Registrations for ACCES 2022 are now open on a first-come, first-served basis. African delegates register for free.

Sholo Mwamba is a leading figure in singeli, a genre-bending, uptempo musical style that was born in the backstreets of Dar es Salaam but has grown to become a mainstream Tanzanian sound.

His high-energy performances and extravagant stage garb, coupled with his spitfire vocal delivery, have been instrumental in defining singeli. His widespread popularity in his country and across the East African region has seen him perform for fans on the streets as well as heads of state.

Sholo Mwamba’s insight into the music business as a musical maverick who has found mainstream success is expected to bring a different perspective to ACCES 2022, where he will take part in a panel discussion about the urban sounds that are shaping Tanzanian culture and its music industry. He will also perform alongside some of East Africa’s biggest names in music on ACCES’ opening night.

ACCES 2022 will feature a dynamic pool of local and international speakers, businesses and showcasing artists. The music trade show offers a strong programme that includes industry talks, pitch and networking sessions, workshops and exhibitions, planned for JNICC, as well as awards and music performances at Brake Point Makumbusho. 

ACCES’ live music showcases will light up the conference over three nights with previously announced acts SinaUbi Zawose (Tanzania), Oumar Konaté (Mali), Flying Bantu (Zimbabwe), Joyce Babatunde (Cameroon), Naïnako (Madagascar), Vitali Maembe & Watupa Mawe (Tanzania), TaraJazz Zanzibar (Tanzania), Tofa Jaxx (Tanzania) and Kalam La Reine du Kundé (Burkina Faso). More speakers and showcasing artists will be announced soon.

The ACCES conference sessions will include a real-time audio translation service in Swahili and French. 

ACCES 2022 speakers:

• A'salfo, founding member Magic System (Ivory Coast)
• Godwin Tom – managing director, Sony Music Publishing Nigeria (Nigeria)
• Abigail – singer and multi-instrumentalist (Tanzania)
• Andre le Roux – managing director, IKS Consulting (South Africa)
• Beth Achitsa – artist and label relations executive for East Africa at The Orchard (Kenya)
• Munya Chanetsa – managing director, EMPIRE Publishing Africa (South Africa)
• Sandra Brown – founder, Stargaze Company Limited (Tanzania)
• Raphael Benza – founder, Vth Season (South Africa)
• Marc Brown – founder, Byta (Sweden)
• Wendy Verwey Bekker – regional manager for Africa, Ditto Music (South Africa)
• Annamary Ishengoma – co-founder, Quinn Law Chambers (Tanzania)
• Stephan Eicke – record producer (UK/Germany)
• Pit Baccardi – head of label and publishing, Universal Music Africa (Ivory Coast)
• Mamby Diomandé – head for live and brand, Universal Music Africa (Ivory Coast)
• Eric Soul – DJ, event producer, radio and TV host (Rwanda)
• Elisabeth Stoudmann – founder, Vibrations Magazine (Switzerland)
• David Tinning – co-founder, Santuri East Africa (Kenya)
• Chioma Onuchukwu – head of TuneCore for West and East Africa (Nigeria)
• Natasha Stambuli – general manager, Boomplay Tanzania (Tanzania)
• Jusnah Gadi – founder, Young Music Boss (UK)
• Sevi Spanoudi – CEO, Black Major (South Africa)
• Karabo Senna – sales and licensing general manager, SAMRO (South Africa)
• Baraka Issadu – director, Action Music Tanzania (Tanzania)
• Thando Makhunga – managing director, Sheer Publishing Africa (South Africa) 
• Yusuf Mahmoud – festival director, Sauti za Busara (Tanzania)
• Gareth Wilson – A&R exec, Electromode/Ingrooves (South Africa)
• Islam Elbeiti – musician and cultural curator (Sudan)
• Ghita Khaldi – production director, EAC L'Boulvart (Morocco)
• Ade Bantu – founder, Afropolitan Vibes (Nigeria)
• Eddie Hatitye – director, Music In Africa Foundation (South Africa)

Register for ACCES 2022 here. 

About ACCES

ACCES is a pan-African trade show 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. ACCES is organised by the Music In Africa Foundation, a non-profit pan-African organisation, in partnership with Siemens Stiftung, Goethe-Institut, Alliance Française, the Tanzanian Ministry of Culture, Arts and Sports, and the National Arts Council of Tanzania (BASATA). 

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