“Afrobeats: Digital Encounters and the Global Mainstreaming of African Popular Music”, 12-14 September 2023, Lagos

In September, we came together in Lagos in order to explore contemporary African popular music in a moment of increased global exposition via digital media, specifically for West African “Afrobeats”. The conference was co-funded by Thyssen Foundation and CEDITRAA and was convened by Matthias Krings, Patrick Oloko, Ute Röschenthaler, Artemis Saleh and Tom Simmert.

Conference attendees discussed the inner-African dynamics of music production, their conditions and audiovisual languages, focusing on various dimensions including their socio-political context, global influences, digital presence, and cultural exchanges, shedding light on the complexities and nuances that shape contemporary African music, and delving into the intricate interplay between globalized cultural production, digital innovation, and the meanings of popular culture in the current age. Presentations further delved into the utilization of digital technologies by musicians and fans, examined the influence of the Nigerian music scene on artists in other African and non-African regions, and scrutinized the role of digital technologies and global platforms for the entrepreneurial endeavors of African musicians.

Photo by Maluchi Chukwuemeka.