Few things are quite as exciting as discovering new talent to listen to on repeat, add to your favourite playlists and lean on for emotional support over the course of the year.
For fans of African music on Spotify, 2023 promises another roll call of amazing artists, ready to break through to fame and mainstream streaming success.
If anything, African music has consistently unfurled waves of new, fresh talent every year who have propelled the global interest in Afrobeats, Amapiano and its many other sub-genres. 2022 was a breakout year for artists like Buju, Costa Titch and Asake, whose success propelled them into Wrapped top lists at the end of 2022.
And while those talents took their voices to the main stage, a slew of rising stars was also laying the groundwork for their own breakout year. Some of these musicians are primed to release their best music in the coming months. Others have enjoyed early success on Spotify, and show many indications of even greater success on the horizon. Others are relatively new elements, developing new takes on familiar sounds that harken towards major shifts in popular music.
Hailing from South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda with a wide array of styles, cultures and perspectives, these artists are, according to Spotify data, the ones to watch in 2023.
As Asakaa drill music picked up in Ghana, Reggie’s banging anthem Geng Geng was leading the charge as a favourite among music lovers. Built on shared experiences and a collective sense of solidarity, Reggie’s music is usually built around brotherhood and growing in the second largest city in Ghana – Kumasi
With a handful of guest verses and a 2021 release titled Limelight, Melissa is one of the most interesting newcomers in music. This Ghanian’s verses portray a gifted pen at work, and her silky voice has been employed navigating a range of sounds from jazz, reggaeton, R&B to Afropop influences. 2023 should give us more Mellissa music.
This multi-talented musician is one who has proven indeed audience sharing and collaboration is one of the best ways to break through in the music scene. He registered his first song Goldigga by collaborating with Black Sherif. SAMSNEY used this song to showcase his musical prowess as an artist to look out for in 2023.
Snypa has a knack for identifying and stringing together artists for the best collaborations. For instance, he assembled Kwesi Arthur, Ms Banks for the highly infectious Gbedu which became an instant hit when it was released.
Ghanian drill rapper Beeztrap KOTM is fairly new on the scene but he proved his mettle with his hit track Radio, featuring Reggie which took 2022 by storm. The success of that track and others like Cinderella and Distance Relationship will see him become a firm favourite on 2023 playlists.
Below is the list of other emerging artists on the continent.
| SOUTH AFRICAN EMERGING ARTISTS | KENYAN, TANZANIAN & UGANDAN EMERGING ARTISTS | NIGERIAN EMERGING ARTISTS |
| PABI COOPERBOONTLE RSAUNCLE WAFFLESNKOSAZANA DAUGHTERYOUNG STUNNAJAY JODYBLUE TAPEKHANYISALWAH NDLUNKULUWILL LINLEYDROOMSINDROOMOFFICIXL RSA | WANAVOKALIKINOTIMISEE BILLIONSNJERIANJELLAKILLYPHINAV-BELIAM VOICEAXON | KHAIDTEMPOEPOCO LEEBAYANNIBRUMEYKB KAESTYLE |
