2021 in African music
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following is a list of events and releases that happened in 2021 in African music.
Events
- 14 March – At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, Nigerian musician Burna Boy wins the Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album and is among the live performers.[1]
- 18 June – South African soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha wins the Song Prize at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition.[2]
- 9 August – In recognition of South African Women's Day, Apple Music launches the third part of its Visionary Women campaign, celebrating female artists such as Makhadzi.[3]
- October – CKay's "Love Nwantiti" becomes the most-watched music video on YouTube, the first song from Africa to achieve this.[4]
- 14 November – The 8th African Muzik Magazine Awards takes place in Dallas, Texas.[5]
Albums released in 2021
| Release date | Artist | Album | Genre | Label | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 8 | Monica Ogah | Different (EP) | Christian | Indie | [6] |
| January 22 | Ayra Starr | Ayra Starr (EP) | Afropop, R&B, neo-soul | Mavin Records | [7] |
| January 29 | KaniBeatz & Bella Alubo | Chrystical (EP) | Pop | Lightcastle Music Global | [8] |
| February 4 | Joeboy | Somewhere Between Beauty and Magic | Afrobeats, Contemporary R&B | emPawa | [9] |
| February 5 | Femi Kuti & Made Kuti | Legacy + | AfroBeat/Jazz | Partisan | [10] |
| April 9 | Peruzzi | Rum & Boogie | Afrobeats | DMW | [11] |
| April 23 | Osibisa | New Dawn | High Life/Jazz/FunkRock | Marquee Records | [12] |
| April 30 | Laycon | Shall We Begin | Rap | Fierce Nation | [13] |
| May 16 | Kpanto | Sound from the Xtreetz | Hipco | Indie | [14] |
| May 21 | Mdou Moctar | Afrique Victime | Electronic | Matador | [15] |
| June 18 | Olamide | UY Scuti | Afropop | YBNL Nation Empire Distribution | [16] |
| July 9 | Les Filles de Illighadad | At Pioneer Works | Tuareg rock | Sahel Sounds | [12] |
| July 23 | Obongjayar and Sarz | Sweetness | Afrobeat | [17] | |
| August 6 | Ayra Starr | 19 & Dangerous | Afrobeat, R&B, trap, alté | Mavin Records | [18] |
| September 3 | Big Zulu | Ichwane Lenyoka | Rap, Hip hop | Inkabi Records | [19] |
| September 3 | Sarahmée | Poupée russe | Rap, Afropop | Ste=4 Musique | [20] |
| September 9 | Brymo | 9: Èsan | Indie | [21] | |
| 9: Harmattan & Winter |
| ||||
| September 15 | Tems | If Orange Was a Place | alt-R&B, Soul | RCA/Since '93 | [22] |
| October 26 | Amerado | Patience (EP) | Hiphop/Afrobeat | MicBurnerz Music | [23] |
| November 5 | Zlatan | Resan | [24] |
Musical films
- Neptune Frost, with music by Saul Williams[25]
Deaths
- January 8 – Dorine Mokha, 31, Congolese dancer and choreographer (malaria)[26]
- January 22 – Guem, 73, Algerian singer, composer and dancer.[27]
- January 23
- Jonas Gwangwa, 83, South African jazz musician[28]
- Ahmed Achour, 75, Tunisian composer and conductor[29]
- January 28 – Sibongile Khumalo, 63, South African singer[30]
- January 31 – Wambali Mkandawire (Mtebeti Wambali Mkandawire), 68, Malawian jazz singer and activist.[31]
- February 5 – Abdoul Jabbar, 40–41, Guinean singer-songwriter[32]
- February 16 – Soul Jah Love, 31, Zimbabwean reggae/Zimdancehall musician (complications from diabetes)[33]
- March 7 – Josky Kiambukuta, 72, Congolese singer (TPOK Jazz).[34]
- March 14 – Thione Seck, 66, Senegalese mbalakh singer and musician[35]
- April 5 – Haja El Hamdaouia, 91, Moroccan singer and songwriter, known for Chaabi and Aita[36]
- April 18 – Naïma Ababsa, 51, Algerian singer[37]
- April 27 – Sammy Kasule, 69, Ugandan musician and singer[38]
- May 7 – Jamal Salameh, 75, Egyptian songwriter and composer
- June 21 – Mamady Keïta, 70, Guinean drummer[39]
- June 22 – Mzilikazi Khumalo, 89, South African composer and academic[40]
- June 25 – Wes Madiko, 57, Cameroonian singer[41]
- July 1 – Steve Kekana, 63, South African singer[42]
- July 11 – Sound Sultan (Olanrewaju Abdul-Ganiu Fasasi), 44, Nigerian rapper and hip hop pioneer (angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma)[43]
- August 3 – Allan Stephenson, 71, British-born South African cellist, conductor and composer[44]
- August 9 (killed in car crash)
- Khanya "The Voice" Hadebe, 20s, South African amapiano musician[45]
- Killer Kau, 23, South African amapiano musician
- Mpura, 20s South African amapiano musician
- August 28 – Victor Uwaifo, 80, Nigerian ogbonge musician and cultural figure[46]
- August 31 – Nobesuthu Mbadu, 76, South African mbaqanga singer[47]
- September 2 – Alemayehu Eshete, 80, Ethiopian singer[48]
- September 28 – Nana Ampadu, 76, Ghanaian musician[49]
- October 3 – Anouman Brou Félix, 86, Ivorian Akyé musician [50]
- October 8 – Rabah Driassa, 87, Algerian artist and folk singer[51]
- November 7 – Bopol Mansiamina, 72, Congolese guitarist, vocalist, composer, and producer[52]
- November 17 – Theuns Jordaan, 50, South African singer-songwriter (leukaemia)[53]
- December 27 – Defao, 62, Congolese singer-songwriter, COVID-19.[54]