Luc Rouffaud
Looking for female talent active in the African music industry?
Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC), is a two-day, women-led music conference in South Africa that has identified five women worthy of their ambassador role.
Taking place 23-24 May in Johannesburg, South Africa, ARMC is again at the crossroads to meet music professionals from all over the world.
The conference is leading the charge of a growing music industry in Africa and have already been featured on our top music conferences in Africa for 2023 as well as 2022.
Continuing to expand the Afro-Euro connection, this year’s focus will be on Zambia and Germany and will see a nice mix of workshops, activations and live performances. Expect to meet and hear musicians playing hip hop, indie and electronic music.
Find below five female ambassadors that have aspired and made significant impact in their field and communities.
1. Megatronic, seasoned artist and talent hunter
Organization: Femme Fest
Megatronic has always had lot going on. Among being a singer, DJ, radio host and festival promoter, she’s taken many forms over the 20 years of self-taught industry experience.
In her 20’s she started Black Cherry, a band that toured for a decade playing Glastonbury, SXSW, Balaton Sound and others. Today you can find her between Dubai and London promoting the artists she believes in via Megatronic MGMT.
For her ambassador nomination she’s repping Femme Fest, a hybrid-festival and art collective she founded that celebrates female-identifying SWANA artists (SWANA standing for Southwest Asia and North Africa). Last year they held a two-day festival in the Dubai Design District reflecting what a great job she does of finding creative women with brilliant ideas.
2. Fundi Mbambani, DJing from Langa to the world
Organization: Bridges for Music
Fundi Mbambani is a DJ, tour guide and intercultural expert from Langa, Cape Town’s oldest township. As ARMC ambassador, she is repping Bridges for Music, an organization empowering creative, young talent in underserved communities. They truly serve as a bridge for the African music industry.
One of their initiatives is Bridges Academy, a center for creative education in the heart of Langa. They provide safe spaces to teach and enhance the creative potential of at-risk youth, transcending the cycles of poverty and trauma.
Fundi is a proud graduate of the Bridges Academy and is glad to have had to the opportunity to play at ADE in Amsterdam last year.
3. Naimah, the hardest working woman in the African music industry
Organization: New Future Records (indie label)
Hailing from Zambia and based in South Africa, Naimah is an artist that touches the musical worlds of afrobeats, pop, dancehall, RnB and hip hop. Her refreshing writing style allowed her to work with Grammy award winning producers and artists from the Southern Africa region.
Dubbed by her peers as the “hardest working woman in Africa” it’s not surprising she named her RnB infused 2022 EP Goal Digger, released of course, on her own independent record label New Future Records.
Naimah reaches beyond the music sphere and is involved with her own “New Future Foundation.” Add to the fact she serves on the board of The Makeba Center For Girls, a South African organization caring for underprivileged girls, and you have yourself a true African leader.
4. Namakau Star, genre-bending vibe goddess
Organization: ARMC
Namakau Star is an alternative RnB and hip hop artist from Johannesburg. Her music can be described as “genre bending finding feminine and masculine fluidity.” Namakau Star is also an award-winning copywriter, speaker and creative director in film.
We love her driving track with The Planetoids called “Make Up Your Mind” and her tuned down track ‘2088’ from her 2022 Landing EP. It’s universal and dreamy and we can only agree that Namakau deserves the ambassador role at this African music industry conference.
5. Phelisa Magoqoza, promoting water activism through African music industry
Organization: Viva Con Agua (South Africa)
Meet Phelisa, the Community & Network Developer for Viva Con Aqua South Africa, an organization that helps those in need have access to clean work for drinking, health and hygiene. The mission goes farther than just water supply for all, but also includes the key aspect of community.
Phelisa’s role is to help build stronger communities by telling stories, campaigning and mobilizing volunteers. One of the ways she accomplishes her strategic education and awareness programs is through music, art and sport.
One of Viva Con Agua’s projects include Bulungula Community Radio, providing a creative and productive space for young DJ talents and way to share valuable information on health, farming, environmental and educational issues.
Want to get involved?
Sign up to Africa Rising Music Conference by getting your tickets here.
