Multi--award winning African-American music star, Akon, has been unveiled as host of the 4th annual All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) scheduled to hold on Sunday, November 12, 2017 at the Eko Convention Centre of the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
According to a statement by the African Union Commission and the International Committee of AFRIMA made available to the media on Tuesday, October 31, the Senegal-born superstar will handle the event proceedings of the live broadcast award show scheduled to air live on over 80 television stations and online platforms across the world with support from the co-host, Ms. Sophy Aiida, a Cameroonian-French entertainment broadcaster.
With a track record of outstanding success in the global music industry that has brought immense recognition to Africa’s creative energy and originality, Akon, a multi-Grammy award winning singer, songwriter, record producer and actor, has put his name in the Guinness Book of World Record as the number one selling artiste for master ringtones in the world.
Ranked the fifth most powerful celebrity in Forbes’s Africa list of 40, Akon is also a business man and philanthropist who is passionate about the African continent. He provides electricity for 15 African countries through his “Light Africa Project” and supports underprivileged African youngsters through his Konfidence Initiative. He runs music labels, Konvict Music and Kon Live Republic successfully.
Co-host Sophy Aiida is a prolific broadcaster who is known on radio as Cameroon’s biggest-girl-next-door. Sophy was born in Paris, moved to New York where she spent 15 years before returning to Cameroon to contribute to her homeland. The multilingual and multi-talented woman is regarded as one of Central Africa’s biggest show host. Sophy has also acted in rave African French-speaking movies and has also dropped a debut single. Sophy Aiida is the co-founder of the Nakande Project, an initiative that supports the emergence of great young women through its education, empowerment and mentorship programmes. She has hosted various annuals show and events in Africa.
Meanwhile, Africans on the continent and in the diaspora are in eager anticipation for the AFRIMA 2017 main awards ceremony and the AFRIMA Music Village scheduled to hold on Friday, November 10. The Music Village is an evening of non-stop open music festival of live performances from African stars and nominees, with an audience of 40,000 people. It will also be broadcast live and produced by a prominent experiential marketing/production agency in Africa, Backstage Pro.
The annual All Africa Music Awards in partnership with the African Union Commission, is a celebration of Africa by rewarding the creativity and originality of African artistes and songwriters with the resplendent 23.9 carat gold-plated AFRIMA trophy. The 2017 Main Awards Ceremony, in association with Lagos State of Nigeria, the Official Host City, will be a colourful, performance-packed event graced by music stars, industry legends, captains of industries, diplomats, government officials, music lovers across the continent. The event will be broadcast live across 84 countries in Africa.
Also lined up for the weekend of AFRIMA 2017 is Africa Music Business Roundtable in Association with TRACE with the theme, Digital Takeover: Shaping the Future of African Music (November 10). AMBR is a platform created by AFRIMA for engagement on music, money, media and evolving global business practices as they affect the creative industries in Africa.
LaoluGbenjo music group shines at African Cultural Festival.
The LaoluGbenjo Music Group dazzled all at the recent African Cultural festival, a show organized by the Lagos council of arts and culture.The gospel musical group was the toast of the day as those present dance to the tune of different gospel songs, with a blend of high life fuji, juju and new fascinating songs amidst shouts of admiration from the huge crowd.
The breathtaking moment was the period the drummer started using his drum to render songs that are well known and the audience sang along with him, this was a moment that held the audience spell bond with his beat couple with the different swag and style, he exhibited as he dances around with his drum kit, the audience could hardly take their eyes off him. Joining the flow, was the agogo, gangan, sakara, omele, agidigbo accompanied by the keyboard which was simply amazing and breath taking, as It throbs the very root of the African culture, spreading warmth and happiness. The group leader,is no other person than Laolu Gbenjo, a gifted musician,who has used gospel music in glorifying God , ministrying, and also entertaining his audience. He has a way of electrifying his audience. That is why he is a crowd puller any day.
Laolu Gbenjo who has spent 10 years on stage,says ‘’the African gospel music has come come to stay, it is our style of music’’. The band does contemporary African Highlife gospel music and old CAC traditional music. This he said has made them thick “I think that alone has given us a brand that has kept us together in the last 10 years, that wherever the band plays, we bewitch and spread warmth and happiness amongst people’’. The group is one of the most talented and sought after when it comes to gospel music
According to a statement by the African Union Commission and the International Committee of AFRIMA made available to the media on Tuesday, October 31, the Senegal-born superstar will handle the event proceedings of the live broadcast award show scheduled to air live on over 80 television stations and online platforms across the world with support from the co-host, Ms. Sophy Aiida, a Cameroonian-French entertainment broadcaster.
With a track record of outstanding success in the global music industry that has brought immense recognition to Africa’s creative energy and originality, Akon, a multi-Grammy award winning singer, songwriter, record producer and actor, has put his name in the Guinness Book of World Record as the number one selling artiste for master ringtones in the world.
Ranked the fifth most powerful celebrity in Forbes’s Africa list of 40, Akon is also a business man and philanthropist who is passionate about the African continent. He provides electricity for 15 African countries through his “Light Africa Project” and supports underprivileged African youngsters through his Konfidence Initiative. He runs music labels, Konvict Music and Kon Live Republic successfully.
Co-host Sophy Aiida is a prolific broadcaster who is known on radio as Cameroon’s biggest-girl-next-door. Sophy was born in Paris, moved to New York where she spent 15 years before returning to Cameroon to contribute to her homeland. The multilingual and multi-talented woman is regarded as one of Central Africa’s biggest show host. Sophy has also acted in rave African French-speaking movies and has also dropped a debut single. Sophy Aiida is the co-founder of the Nakande Project, an initiative that supports the emergence of great young women through its education, empowerment and mentorship programmes. She has hosted various annuals show and events in Africa.
Meanwhile, Africans on the continent and in the diaspora are in eager anticipation for the AFRIMA 2017 main awards ceremony and the AFRIMA Music Village scheduled to hold on Friday, November 10. The Music Village is an evening of non-stop open music festival of live performances from African stars and nominees, with an audience of 40,000 people. It will also be broadcast live and produced by a prominent experiential marketing/production agency in Africa, Backstage Pro.
The annual All Africa Music Awards in partnership with the African Union Commission, is a celebration of Africa by rewarding the creativity and originality of African artistes and songwriters with the resplendent 23.9 carat gold-plated AFRIMA trophy. The 2017 Main Awards Ceremony, in association with Lagos State of Nigeria, the Official Host City, will be a colourful, performance-packed event graced by music stars, industry legends, captains of industries, diplomats, government officials, music lovers across the continent. The event will be broadcast live across 84 countries in Africa.
Also lined up for the weekend of AFRIMA 2017 is Africa Music Business Roundtable in Association with TRACE with the theme, Digital Takeover: Shaping the Future of African Music (November 10). AMBR is a platform created by AFRIMA for engagement on music, money, media and evolving global business practices as they affect the creative industries in Africa.
LaoluGbenjo music group shines at African Cultural Festival.
The LaoluGbenjo Music Group dazzled all at the recent African Cultural festival, a show organized by the Lagos council of arts and culture.The gospel musical group was the toast of the day as those present dance to the tune of different gospel songs, with a blend of high life fuji, juju and new fascinating songs amidst shouts of admiration from the huge crowd.
The breathtaking moment was the period the drummer started using his drum to render songs that are well known and the audience sang along with him, this was a moment that held the audience spell bond with his beat couple with the different swag and style, he exhibited as he dances around with his drum kit, the audience could hardly take their eyes off him. Joining the flow, was the agogo, gangan, sakara, omele, agidigbo accompanied by the keyboard which was simply amazing and breath taking, as It throbs the very root of the African culture, spreading warmth and happiness. The group leader,is no other person than Laolu Gbenjo, a gifted musician,who has used gospel music in glorifying God , ministrying, and also entertaining his audience. He has a way of electrifying his audience. That is why he is a crowd puller any day.
Laolu Gbenjo who has spent 10 years on stage,says ‘’the African gospel music has come come to stay, it is our style of music’’. The band does contemporary African Highlife gospel music and old CAC traditional music. This he said has made them thick “I think that alone has given us a brand that has kept us together in the last 10 years, that wherever the band plays, we bewitch and spread warmth and happiness amongst people’’. The group is one of the most talented and sought after when it comes to gospel music