'There was a breakthrough, and then an influx and rise in female artists. It's not surprising. It's exactly as it should be.'
Clockwise from top left: Busiswa Gqulu, Tems, Tula, Amaarae, Moonchild Sannelly, Uncle Waffles, Ayra Starr, Aya Nakamura, and Tiwa Savage. Collage by Ashley Peña
Afrobeats has exploded in popularity in the past decade, particularly among listeners within the African diaspora. Contemporary Nigerian artists like Burna Boy and Wizkid have grown devout fandoms and become household names around the world, exporting fresh sounds to new listeners in the process. According to Spotify, there were 13.5 billion Afrobeats streams on its platform in 2022.
If you search for the name of the South African superstar Tyla on TikTok today, you’ll find about 1.5 million videos. Her popiano anthem “Water” became a sensation thanks in large part to her promotion of Bacardi, a dance that has spawned various Internet challenges. The track earned Tyla a Grammy earlier this year for Best African Music Performance. More recently, she released a full-length, self-titled album that’s been making its way up the charts.
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