2021 in African music explained

The following is a list of events and releases that happened in 2021 in African music.

Events

• 14 March – At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, Nigerian musician Burna Boy wins the Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album and is among the live performers.^[1]
• 18 June – South African soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha wins the Song Prize at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition.^[2]
• 9 August – In recognition of South African Women's Day, Apple Music launches the third part of its Visionary Women campaign, celebrating female artists such as Makhadzi.^[3]
• October – CKay's "Love Nwantiti" becomes the most-watched music video on YouTube, the first song from Africa to achieve this.^[4]
• 14 November – The 8th African Muzik Magazine Awards takes place in Dallas, Texas.^[5]

Albums released in 2021

Release date	Artist	Album	Genre	Label	Ref
January 8	Monica Ogah	Different (EP)	Christian	Indie	^[6]
January 22	Ayra Starr	Ayra Starr (EP)	Afropop, R&B, neo-soul	Mavin Records	^[7]
January 29	KaniBeatz & Bella Alubo	Chrystical (EP)	Pop	Lightcastle Music Global	^[8]
February 4	Joeboy	Somewhere Between Beauty and Magic	Afrobeats, Contemporary R&B	emPawa	^[9]
February 5	Femi Kuti & Made Kuti	Legacy +	AfroBeat/Jazz	Partisan	^[10]
April 9	Peruzzi	Rum & Boogie	Afrobeats	DMW	^[11]
April 23	Osibisa	New Dawn	High Life/Jazz/FunkRock	Marquee Records
April 30	Laycon	Shall We Begin	Rap	Fierce Nation	^[12]
May 16	Kpanto	Sound from the Xtreetz	Hipco	Indie	^[13]
May 21	Mdou Moctar	Afrique Victime	Electronic	Matador	^[14]
June 18	Olamide	UY Scuti	Afropop	YBNL Nation Empire Distribution	^[15]
July 9	Les Filles de Illighadad	At Pioneer Works	Tuareg rock	Sahel Sounds	^[16]
July 23	Obongjayar and Sarz	Sweetness	Afrobeat		^[17]
August 6	Ayra Starr	19 & Dangerous	Afrobeat, R&B, trap, alté	Mavin Records	^[18]
September 3	Big Zulu	Ichwane Lenyoka	Rap, Hip hop	Inkabi Records	^[19]
September 3	Sarahmée	Poupée russe	Rap, Afropop	Ste=4 Musique	^[20]
September 9	Brymo			Indie	^[21]
September 15	Tems	If Orange Was a Place	alt-R&B, Soul	RCA/Since '93	^[22]
October 26	Amerado	Patience (EP)	Hiphop/Afrobeat	MicBurnerz Music	^[23]
November 5	Zlatan	Resan			^[24]

Musical films

• Neptune Frost, with music by Saul Williams^[25]

Deaths

• January 8 – Dorine Mokha, 31, Congolese dancer and choreographer (malaria)^[26]
• January 22 – Guem, 73, Algerian singer, composer and dancer.^[27]
• January 23
  • Jonas Gwangwa, 83, South African jazz musician^[28]
  • Ahmed Achour, 75, Tunisian composer and conductor^[29]
• January 28 – Sibongile Khumalo, 63, South African singer^[30]
• January 31 – Wambali Mkandawire (Mtebeti Wambali Mkandawire), 68, Malawian jazz singer and activist.^[31]
• February 5 – Abdoul Jabbar, 40–41, Guinean singer-songwriter^[32]
• February 16 – Soul Jah Love, 31, Zimbabwean reggae/Zimdancehall musician (complications from diabetes)^[33]
• March 7 – Josky Kiambukuta, 72, Congolese singer (TPOK Jazz).^[34]
• March 14 – Thione Seck, 66, Senegalese mbalakh singer and musician^[35]
• April 5 – Haja El Hamdaouia, 91, Moroccan singer and songwriter, known for Chaabi and Aita^[36]
• April 18 – Naïma Ababsa, 51, Algerian singer^[37]
• April 27 – Sammy Kasule, 69, Ugandan musician and singer^[38]
• May 7 – Jamal Salameh, 75, Egyptian songwriter and composer
• June 21 – Mamady Keïta, 70, Guinean drummer^[39]
• June 22 – Mzilikazi Khumalo, 89, South African composer and academic^[40]
• June 25 – Wes Madiko, 57, Cameroonian singer^[41]
• July 1 – Steve Kekana, 63, South African singer^[42]
• July 11 – Sound Sultan (Olanrewaju Abdul-Ganiu Fasasi), 44, Nigerian rapper and hip hop pioneer (angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma)^[43]
• August 3 – Allan Stephenson, 71, British-born South African cellist, conductor and composer^[44]
• August 9 (killed in car crash)
  • Khanya "The Voice" Hadebe, 20s, South African amapiano musician^[45]
  • Killer Kau, 23, South African amapiano musician
  • Mpura, 20s South African amapiano musician
• August 28 – Victor Uwaifo, 80, Nigerian ogbonge musician and cultural figure^[46]
• August 31 – Nobesuthu Mbadu, 76, South African mbaqanga singer^[47]
• September 2 – Alemayehu Eshete, 80, Ethiopian singer^[48]
• September 28 – Nana Ampadu, 76, Ghanaian musician^[49]
• October 3 – Anouman Brou Félix, 86, Ivorian Akyé musician ^[50]
• October 8 – Rabah Driassa, 87, Algerian artist and folk singer^[51]
• November 7 – Bopol Mansiamina, 72, Congolese guitarist, vocalist, composer, and producer^[52]
• November 17 – Theuns Jordaan, 50, South African singer-songwriter (leukaemia)^[53]
• December 27 – Defao, 62, Congolese singer-songwriter, COVID-19.^[54]

See also

• 2021 in music

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2021 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Winners & Nominees List. 14 March 2021. grammy.com. 20 January 2022.
2. Web site: Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha wins Song Prize at BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2021. 18 June 2021. Classical Music Magazine. Freya Parr. 1 July 2021. en.
3. Web site: SA: Apple Music launches third Visionary Women campaign. 2 August 2021. Ano Shumba. Music in Africa. 20 January 2022.
4. Web site: A Nigerian Singer Released the Biggest Hit in African History. 28 October 2021. Lucas Shaw. Bloomberg. 19 November 2021.
5. News: SOME ZAMBIANS RESIGNED TO VOTING FOR SLAPDEE IN AFRIMMA ~ . 16 October 2021 . 11 October 2021.
6. News: Naija. Bella. January 11, 2021. New EP: Monica Ogah – Different. BellaNaija.com. February 4, 2021.
7. News: Don Jazzy Activates Ayra Starr . 23 April 2021 . THISDAYLIVE . 30 January 2021.
8. News: January 29, 2021. Kanibeatz & Bella Alubo Make Short Work Of Their 'Chrystical' Joint EP . The Bulletin. February 4, 2021.
9. Web site: 2021-02-04. Joeboy releases 14-track debut album, 'Somewhere Between Beauty and Magic'. 2021-02-04. Pulse Nigeria. en-US.
10. Web site: Femi and Made Kuti Announce Double Album, Share New Songs . Pitchfork . December 1, 2020 . January 29, 2021 . Ruiz, Matthew Ismael.
11. News: Peruzzi Enlists Davido, Don Jazzy, Fireboy And More For Second Album "Rum & Boogie" . 23 April 2021 . The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News . 9 April 2021.
12. Web site: Alake. Motolani. 2021-04-30. Laycon delivers and shines on, '...Shall We Begin…' [Pulse Album Review]]. live. 2021-07-21. Pulse Nigeria. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210510225801/https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/music/review-laycon-shall-we-begin-album/lnz2q37 . 2021-05-10 .
13. Web site: Sound From the Xtreetz by Kpanto . Apple Music . 18 March 2023 . May 16, 2021 . 20 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230320231852/https://music.apple.com/us/album/sound-from-the-xtreetz/1568159660 . live .
14. Web site: Mdou Moctar Announces New Album, Shares Video for New Song . Pitchfork . March 2, 2021 . March 3, 2021 . Yoo, Noah.
15. Web site: Alake. Motolani. 2021-06-18. Olamide visits the Caribbean and delivers timeless music for you on 'UY Scuti' [Pulse Album Review]]. live. 2021-07-21. Pulse Nigeria. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20210619194140/https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/music/review-olamide-uy-scuti-album/7472cys . 2021-06-19 .
16. Web site: Les Filles De Illighadad - At Pioneer Works. African Music Guide. 29 June 2021.
17. Web site: Obongjayar and Sarz unite on collaborative EP Sweetness . The Line of Best Fit . July 23, 2021 . July 24, 2021 . Kenneally, Cerys.
18. Web site: LISTEN/STREAM: Ayra Starr - 19 & Dangerous [ALBUM] ]. Pulse Nigeria . 7 August 2021 . en . 6 August 2021.
19. Web site: Big Zulu Finally Drops 'Ichwane Lenyoka' Album. Theo. Manjo. Slikouronlife. September 3, 2021.
20. Web site: Olivier Boisvert-Magnen . Sarahmée: Welcome to her Life. Words and Music . 20 January 2022 . 8 September 2020.
21. Web site: Motolani Alake . On '9: Esan,' Brymo makes his listeners think [Pulse Album Review] ]. Pulse Nigeria . 26 April 2023 . September 11, 2021 . 26 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230426034303/https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/music/review-brymo-9-esan-album/xttrss9 . live .
22. Web site: Tems: If Orange Was a Place EP. 2021-10-01. Pitchfork. en.
23. Web site: Stream Ghanaian artist Amerado's brand new extended play: Patience - GRUNGECAKE . 2022-08-12 . grungecake.com.
24. Web site: Wow Zlatan! you did that 'Resan'. 9 November 2021. Motolani Alake. Pulse. 20 December 2021.
25. Web site: Gates . Marya E. . Female Filmmakers in Focus: Anisia Uzeyman and Saul Williams on Neptune Frost Interviews Roger Ebert . 2023-11-17 . www.rogerebert.com/ . en.
26. Web site: Décès du chorégraphe congolais Dorine Mokha à 31 ans. 13 January 2021. CultInfos.com. French.
27. Web site: Abdelmadjid Guemguem, alias Guem, est décédé. 24 January 2021. Liberté Algérie. French.
28. Web site: Jonas Gwangwa, award-winning jazz legend, passes away aged 83. 23 January 2021. Lungelo. Matangira. ewn.co.za. 23 January 2021.
29. Web site: Le chef d'orchestre et compositeur Ahmed Achour est décédé à l'âge de 75 ans. 29 January 2021. La Presse. fr.
30. News: LISTICLE: Highlights of musician Sibongile Khumalo's life. Lerato. Matlala. 28 January 2021. 28 January 2021. SABC News. South African Broadcasting Corporation.
31. Web site: Malawi mourns one of its greatest musicians: Wambali laid to rest . Nyasa Times . 1 February 2021.
32. Web site: L'artiste Abdoul Jabbar s'en va !!!. 5 February 2021. Mediaguinee.com. French.
33. Web site: Chronicle. The. BREAKING: Soul Jah Love dies. 2021-02-17. The Chronicle. en-GB.
34. Web site: Veteran Congolese singer Josky Kiambukuta dies in Kinshasa. 8 March 2021. The East African.
35. Web site: Mort du chanteur Thione Seck, l'une des stars de la musique sénégalaise. Le Parisien. 14 March 2021.
36. Web site: Iconic Moroccan Singer Haja El Hamdaouia Dies at 91. Safaa. Kasraoui. Morocco World News. 5 April 2021. 5 April 2021.
37. Web site: Décès de la chanteuse Naima Ababsa. 18 April 2021. Algérie Presse Service. French.
38. https://www.kfm.co.ug/entertainment-news/afrigo-bands-sammy-kasule-dies.html Afrigo Band's Sammy Kasule dies
39. Web site: Bruxelles: Mamady Djembé, un monument de la percussion mondiale s'est éteint . 21 June 2021 . Doré . Tokpanon . . 21 June 2021 . fr.
40. News: Pooley . Thomas . Iconic composer Mzilikazi Khumalo defied apartheid odds to leave a rich legacy . 27 June 2021 . News24 . 24 June 2021.
41. Web site: Wes Madiko, la fin d'une histoire. 26 June 2021. Visages Live. fr. 29 June 2021.
42. Web site: Breaking: Legendary musician Steve Kekana has died. 1 July 2021. Emmanuel Tjiya. Sowetan Live. 1 July 2021.
43. Web site: Veteran Singer Sound Sultan Dies After Battle With Cancer . Guardian.ng . July 11, 2021 . July 11, 2021.
44. Web site: Cellist and conductor Allan Stephenson has died. The Strad. August 3, 2021.
45. Web site: South Africa mourns amapiano artists Mpura, Killer Kau and Khanya Hadebe. 10 August 2021. Ano. Shumba. Music Africa. 12 August 2021.
46. Web site: Sir Victor Uwaifo: Joromi, Guitar Boy artiste and ogbonge Nigerian musician die at di age of 80. BBC News. 30 August 2021.
47. Web site: Mahotella Queens' star Mbadu passes on after fight with kidney failure. Sowetan Live. 30 August 2021.
48. Web site: Admin. 3 September 2021. Alemayehu Eshete, "Ethiopian Elvis Presley", reportedly died. 3 September 2021. Borkena Ethiopian News. en-US.
49. Web site: Highlife Legend Nana Ampadu is Dead. September 28, 2021. Plug Times.
50. Web site: Culture : Deuil, Anoman Brouh Félix, pionnier de la musique Akyé est décédé. October 4, 2021. fr. akody. October 11, 2021. October 4, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211004231607/https://www.akody.com/cote-divoire/news/culture-deuil-anoman-brouh-felix-pionnier-de-la-musique-akye-est-decede-329532. dead.
51. Web site: Décès de l'artiste algérien Rabeh Deriassa. fr. October 8, 2021. Mosaique FM. October 11, 2021.
52. News: Diaz . Jonathan . Muere Bopol Mansiamina, un grande de la Música Africana . 7 November 2021 . El Heraldo (Barranquilla, Colombia) . 7 November 2021 . es.
53. News: Theuns Jordaan oorlede . 17 November 2021.
54. Web site: Le congolais Général Défao, vedette de la rumba, est mort. fr. rfi.fr/. December 28, 2021.