Few things are more thrilling than discovering new talent to listen to on repeat, add to your favorite playlists, and count on for emotional support throughout the year.
Fans of African music on Spotify may look forward to another slew of incredible performers breaking through to popularity and widespread streaming success in 2023.
If anything, African music has continually unfurled waves of new, fresh talent each year, propelling global interest in Afrobeats, Amapiano, and its many other sub-genres. 2022 was a breakout year for musicians including Buju, Costa Titch, and Asake, whose success drove them into Wrapped top rankings by the end of the year.
While those performers headed to the main stage, a plethora of budding stars were building the framework for their own breakout year. Some of these artists are preparing to deliver their finest work in the coming months. Others have had early success on Spotify and show many signs of even greater success ahead. Others are newer ingredients, creating fresh perspectives on classic sounds that point to important developments in popular music.
These performers, who are from South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, and Uganda and represent a diverse range of styles, cultures, and viewpoints, are the ones to watch in 2023, according to Spotify statistics.
REGGIE
Reggie’s booming song Geng Geng was leading the charge as a favorite among music aficionados as Asakaa drill music gained popularity in Ghana. Reggie’s music is mainly created around brotherhood and developing in Ghana’s second largest city, Kumasi, on shared experiences and a communal feeling of togetherness.
MELLISSA
Melissa is one of the most intriguing rookies in music, with a couple of guest verses and a 2021 release titled Limelight. Her lines show a skilled pen at work, and her smooth voice has been used to navigate a range of genres from jazz, reggaeton, R&B, and Afropop influences. More Mellissa songs should be released in 2023.
SAMSNEY
This multi-talented artist has demonstrated that audience participation and collaboration is one of the finest ways to get into the music industry. He released his debut single, Goldigga, in collaboration with Black Sherif. SAMSNEY uses this song to highlight his musical talent as an artist to watch in 2023.
SNYPA
Snypa has a talent for recognizing and connecting artists for the finest partnerships. For example, he brought together Kwesi Arthur and Ms Banks for the very contagious Gbedu, which was an instant smash when it was published.
BEEZTRAP KOTM
Beeztrap KOTM, a Ghanian drill rapper, is relatively new on the industry, but he established his mettle with his smash tune Radio, starring Reggie, which took 2022 by storm. The popularity of that song, as well as others such as Cinderella and Distance Relationship, will propel him to the top of 2023 playlists.
Other emerging artists in the continent are listed below.
SOUTH AFRICAN EMERGING ARTISTS
KENYAN, TANZANIAN & UGANDAN EMERGING ARTISTS
NIGERIAN EMERGING ARTISTS
