All Africa Music Awards (Afrima) President Mike Dada said on Tuesday that they were looking forward to deeper collaborations in order to stimulate further growth of the Malawi music industry.
Dada said this ahead of the Bridge Afric Southern Africa launch workshop to be held at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe tomorrow.
The event is spearheaded by Jacobs Events led by gospel musician Wendy Harawa in partnership with Bridge Afric.
The Afrima president is among the international delegates alongside Bridge Afric president Victoria Okong, attending the event set to feature workshops and performances.
Okong arrived in the country on Wednesday whereas Dada was expected to arrive yesterday.
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“Malawi has potential to lead a music renaissance particularly in the Southern African region,” he said.
Dada said he is excited that he has an opportunity to share knowledge, learn as well as gain a better understanding of the music landscape in Malawi.
“This event is very significant for growth, the arts and music industry in Africa especially when you look at it from the point of view of collaborations. Africa is rising and to keep up the momentum, we must collaborate and work together,” he said.
Dada said Afrima was not there only for awards but rather it encompasses more including music business.
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“Afrima provides a platform for artists from all over the world to connect, celebrate Africa and communicate its beauty to the rest of the world. Bridge Afric is a platform that brings artists together to implement and execute ideas such as music and video collaborations and helping music cross the borders.
“I encourage artists and employers in the industry to take advantage of this platform,” Dada said.
He said Afrima’s number one pillar is the music award where professionals in the music industry are celebrated and rceognised.
“The event is broadcast in 74 countries across the world and the goal is to showcase the continent’s rich music history and culture to the world,” Dada said.
He said their second pillar is the music festival, which is a global showcase of African music, where artists perform around the world.
“The festival is critical to the music industry because it generates income from physical performances and digital platforms. We also have Afrima Creative Academy. This is a platform that bridges the skills gap in the music industry by providing skill acquisition opportunities for young people. The goal is to add value to the growth of the music industry in Africa,” Dada said.
He also said that they have a music business hub which is their fifth pillar and that this is where the business side of music is explored.
“The goal is to educate and engage music industry stakeholders on issues such as intellectual property and collective societies,” the Afrima president said.
He maintained that Afrima is meant for all Africans and not only artists in West Africa.
“Whether you are in Africa or you based in the diaspora, everybody is entitled to be part of it. Malawi is part of it and we have had artists participating in the awards, which is good and let artists in Malawi continue submitting their works because we believe there is good music and we are transparent in all transactions,” Dada said.
