MAUIMØON, whose real name is Donald Otim, is a Ugandan-born artist with sonic influences steeped in his East African roots. He is transforming the local scene by tapping into a variety of influences, including R&B, Afropop, and Hip Hop with no geographical boundaries.

The artist first became intrigued by music at the age of 11, drawing inspiration from avant-garde creators like Pharrell, Missy Elliot, and Timbaland. He made his first public foray into music with the release of “DRIVE” and “TOO REAL” in 2019. After a short break necessitated by the global pandemic, MAUIMØON announced himself the following year with the release of “PLEASURE EP,” a collection of slow, easy and cosy R&B-fusion records that evoke the same feeling as the title. The eclectic nature of the records helped earn the singer a dedicated and expectant fanbase.

Following a string of singles including 2022’s “Here They Come,” MAUIMØON secured his place in the conversation with the release of “Sweeta,” a fan favorite that is also among his most-streamed records yet. Since then, the singer has struck a fruitful chord with his producer alias, La Soulchyld, giving birth to “Cherry Sweet,” a 2022 release that is billed as the lead single from his forthcoming project, “From Uganda With Love” due for release in February.

As he catches attention across the continent, including features by BBC 1 Radio and Nigeria’s Native Mag, the singer is eager to leave a legacy that outlives his music. “To me having a legacy is creating unforgettable moments, memories and feelings in other people’s lives and at different times of their lives. It also means helping my community and changing the lives of others who have not been as privileged as myself,” the multi-hyphenate creator says.

Spotify’s Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa, Phiona Okumu, says, “MAUIMØON and his music represent a defiant, exciting variety of artistry, and we’re eager to support him on this phase of his journey and further share his talent with the world.”

Fresh Finds Africa spotlights one artist selected by the Spotify Music team every month. It is an important aspect of Spotify’s initiatives, including RADAR & EQUAL, created to support the African music scene. With MAUIMØON’s selection, Spotify is once again proving its commitment to discovering and promoting new African artists.

To enjoy MAUIMØON’s music, you can listen to his latest single, “Cherry Sweet,” on the Fresh Finds Africa playlist. With his unique sound and vision, MAUIMØON is poised to make a significant impact on the African music scene and beyond.

The post MAUIMØON Named Spotify’s Fresh Finds Africa Artist for February: A Fusion of R&B, Afropop and Hip Hop with East African Roots appeared first on Reframed.

Today, Western music no longer holds that singular dominance. We’re now seeing music from new corners of the world gain that same global popularity. The latest to follow in this trend of globalisation is South Korean pop music, known as K-pop. Partly driven by the popularisation of South Korean culture through TV dramas – and boosted by the virality of South Korean artist Psy’s smash hit Gangnam Style, K-pop is on a meteoric rise. This year, the K-pop boy band BTS made history by becoming the first Korean act to be nominated for the 5th time, in as many consecutive years, at the Grammy Awards.

What’s pleasantly surprising, however, is that while Africa has been making its musical presence known to the world, Korean culture and music have steadily permeated into the continent – and its popularity continues to grow. 

According to Spotify’s head of music for Sub-Saharan Africa, Phiona Okumu “Surprisingly, there’s been a 93% year-on-year increase in K-pop streams in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2022, accounted for by over 3 billion hours of streaming. It’s clear from this data that K-pop is not just a passing phase, but has a devoted and growing African fandom.”

Some of the key markets contributing to this increase are Nigeria, where there was a 267% increase in K-pop streams, Ghana with 236% and Kenya with a 140% increase. 

So what exactly is propelling this rising interest in K-pop on the continent?

Some, like National Geographic, attribute the global rise of K-pop to the pandemic, which inadvertently focused the world’s attention on this East Asian cultural powerhouse. Around the globe, millions made use of their time and binge watched K-dramas like Squid Game, at the same time discovering multiple facets of Korean culture. 

While this may be equally true for the African continent, other factors like increased internet access might also have a hand to play. With a population which is young and online – it makes sense that Africa is a strong emerging market for K-pop which enjoys mass youth appeal. A recent survey which polled 400 000 BTS fans around the world, determined that approximately 50% of their fans are under the age of 18, with a further 42% aged 18-29. Spotify’s Wrapped data for Africa paints a similar picture – with a combined 88% of K-pop music streams coming from people under the age of 29.

“In an increasingly connected world, on-demand streaming services like Spotify have certainly made it easier than ever to tap into another country’s music. Streaming has become instrumental in not only enabling the discovery of African music abroad but also in exposing African listeners to new and unexpected sounds,” she elaborates.

What’s capturing the hearts of this new audience, however, is the diverse sounds that K-pop has to offer. Although called Korean pop music, K-pop actually ranges across a vast number of music genres such as Pop, Hip Hop, R&B, Rock, Jazz, Reggae, Disco, and even traditional and folk Korean musical stylings. K-pop is essentially not really a music genre, but simply music from Korean artists – known colloquially as idols. 

Whether it is seen as adoption or appropriation, there is no denying the Hip Hop and R&B influences in K-Pop-genres which have historically had massive support across Africa. And increasingly, African inspiration is emerging in K-pop.

BTS, who occupies the top spot for K-pop artists streamed in Sub-Saharan Africa and dominates the list of most streamed tracks, covers nearly every music genre in their discography – including South African grown Gqom. The band’s hit IDOL, features Gqom-style beats while the video tips its hat to the continent in the band’s dance moves and their African print suits. Girl band BS (or Black Swan) made history in 2020 when they introduced the first ever African K-Pop idol, Senegalese model Fatou Samba.

On top of this range of musicality, K-pop idols are also known for their extremely tight and extravagant choreography, high-value stage and music video productions, and the distinctive style and “concept” of each K-pop group. Not to mention the polished good looks and fashion of these immensely talented artists.

“This year, K-pop showcased its staying power in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with millions of streams in countries like South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria – the top three for K-pop consumption on the continent respectively. Other countries that made it into the top 10 K-pop markets in SSA included Mauritius, Ghana, Uganda, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Botswana,” Okumu says of the data uncovered about K-pop consumption on the continent. 

“K-Pop stars have also increasingly targeted global audiences through collaborations with acts from the West. In Africa this appears to have real appeal – the number one streamed K-Pop track is My Universe, a collaboration between BTS and Coldplay, with the second spot occupied by Left and Right, another collab between Charlie Puth and Jung Kook (of BTS fame),” Okumu says.

Spotify’s Wrapped data not only gives us clear insights into the music that people love, but it also gives us an annual snapshot of the mood and the zeitgeist of the year. Africa’s love of K-pop paints a picture of a world without creative boundaries, in which music can be discovered, shared and enjoyed, no matter where it’s made, or what language it’s in.

Read next: Spotify Wrapped 2022: What did South Africa listen to this year?

The post An unexpected new taste in music with the rise of K-pop in Africa appeared first on Reframed.