Watch Pop-Kultur discussion on African music festivals

The discussion formed part of Pop-Kultur Festival, which took place from 26 to 28 August. It was hosted by German-based music consultant and curator Pamela Owusu-Brenyah whose work strives to build bridges between artists from Africa and Germany. She was joined by Elena Schulz-Görner, senior booking manager of German entertainment company Streetlife International, which works with a number of African musicians from around the world.

Other guests included Jumoke Adeyanju, journalist and founder of Poetry Meets Series, a creative space for local and international artists who identify themselves in the framework of hip hop, soul and jazz, and the founder of Nigeria’s Palmwine Music Festival, Wale Davies.

The guests discussed how African musicians are largely ignored by major international festivals like Coachella, which only started booking artists from Africa in the late 2010s. Davies spoke about the inspiration behind the Palmwine Music Festival and the need for building a network of African touring artists.

The guests also touched on how events like Gidi Culture Festival, Afrochella and Afro Nation, among others, had impacted the visibility of African musical culture, perception, pride and solidarity around the world.

Additionally, Schulz-Görner spoke about how European festivals have shifted their focus towards curating more events that are inclusive of African artists.

The sixth edition of Pop-Kultur Festival was held virtually for the first time. The event, which is held in cooperation with Goethe-Institut, creates a discursive space for pop culture and music, allowing reflection, contextualisation and celebration.

Watch the discussion below: