2023 in African music explained

See also: Timeline of musical events.

The following is a list of events and releases that happened in 2023 in African music.

Events

• January 11  - It is announced by Nhanhla Sibisi, head of the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) that the 29th edition of the South African Music Awards will begin accepting entries in the first quarter of 2023.^[1]
• March  - The marriage between Somizi Mhlongo and Mohale Tebogo Motaung end divorce proceedings when it is discovered that they were never legally married.^[2]
• June  - The Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance, a new award, is announced by the Recording Academy.^[3] The inaugural winner, announced at the ceremony in February 2024, is Tyla with the song "Water".^[4]
• November 4  - The 19th and final series of Idols South Africa is won by Thabo Ndlovu.^[5]

Albums released in 2023

Release date	Artist	Album	Genre	Label	Ref
January 27	Sjava	Isibuko	Afro-pop	1020 Cartel	^[6]
February 17	King Ayisoba	Work Hard	Folk/Electronic	Glitterbeat	^[7]
February 17	Spinall	Top Boy	Rap		^[8]
February 24	AKA	Mass Country	Hip hop	Sony	^[9]
February 24	Kimi Djabaté	Dindin	Various	Cumbancha	^[10]
March 31	Davido	Timeless			^[11]
March 31	Baaba Maal	Being			^[12]
May 12	Bokani Dyer	Radio Sechaba	Jazz	Brownswood Recordings	^[13]
15 June		Synthesised Sudan: Astro-Nubian Electronic Jaglara Dance Sounds from the Fashaga Underground	Jaglara	Ostinato Records	^[14]
16 June		Work of Art		YBNL Nation and Empire Distribution	^[15]
25 August		I Told Them...	Afrofusion	Atlantic, Spaceship Records, and Bad Habit	^[16]
29 September	KMRU	Dissolution Grip	Ambient, drone, experimental	OFNOT	^[17]
4 October		Digital Indigenous 05	Gospel		^[18]
8 December		NAHAMciaga	Afrobeats		^[19]

Deaths

• February 8  - Dennis Lotis, 97, South African-born singer^[20]
• February 10  - AKA, 35, South African rapper^[21]
• February 25  - Ismaïla Touré, 73, Senegalese musician and co-founder of Touré Kunda^[22]
• March 14 – Gloria Bosman, 50, South African jazz singer^[23]
• June 9 – Niel Immelman, 78, South African-born classical pianist^[24]
• July 21 – Hafiz Abdelrahman, Sudanese flautist (age unknown)^[25]
• August 17 – OJ Blaq, 40, Ghanaian rapper and actor^[26]
• September 12 – MohBad, 27, Nigerian rapper
• October 1 – Julian Bahula, 85, South African drummer, composer and bandleader.^[27]
• October 1 – Garry Mapanzure, 25, Zimbabwean Afropop singer^[28]
• October 27 – Axali Doëseb, 69, Namibian composer^[29]
• November 12 – Mohammed al Amin, 80, Sudanese popular musician and oud player^[30]
• December 11 – Zahara, 36, South African singer-songwriter (liver disease)^[31]
• December 20 – Eric Moyo, 41, Zimbabwean singer (brain haemorrhage)^[32]

See also

• 2023 in music

Notes and References

1. Web site: SAMA29 to kick off in the first quarter of 2023. Mzansi Reggae. January 11, 2023. February 14, 2023.
2. Web site: Somizi withdraws ‘divorce’ and pays Mohale’s legal fees as it turns out they were never married . 2023-10-22 . TimesLIVE . en-ZA.
3. Three New Categories Added For The 2024 GRAMMYs: Best African Music Performance, Best Alternative Jazz Album & Best Pop Dance Recording. Grammys.com. Morgan Enos. June 13, 2023. June 14, 2023.
4. News: Bloom . Madison . February 4, 2024 . Tyla Wins Inaugural Best African Music Performance Award at 2024 Grammys . July 29, 2024 . Pitchfork.
5. Web site: Seemela . Masego . Thabo Ndlovu, Princess MacDonald will face off in the finale of Idols SA . . 31 October 2023 . en-ZA . 30 October 2023.
6. Web site: Sjava Releases His Long Awaited Third Album Isibuko . The Plug . January 27, 2023 . February 4, 2023 . Rasephei, Sekese.
7. Web site: King Ayisoba – Work Hard. Folk Radio UK . 20 February 2023. David Pratt. 10 May 2023.
8. Web site: Spinall Announces New Album Top Boy. The Nation . 10 May 2023.
9. Web site: Mass Country by Aka . Apple Music . 26 March 2023 . February 24, 2023.
10. Web site: Kimi Djabaté - Dindin. Folk Radio . 19 April 2023 . David Platt. February 27, 2023.
11. Web site: Henry Mamo . Davido Announces Fourth Studio Album 'Timeless' . Billboard . 21 March 2023 . March 21, 2023.
12. Web site: Baaba Maal – Being. Clash music. 31 March 2023 . April 8, 2023.
13. Web site: Bokani Dyer – ‘Radio Sechaba’. London Jazz News. 8 May 2023 . Adam Sieff. November 4, 2023.
14. Web site: 'People have weapons, but it's to celebrate!' Jantra, the Sudanese keyboardist making wild party music Music The Guardian . 2023-09-29 . amp.theguardian.com.
15. Web site: Asake cashes in his superstar token in Work of Art. Pulse Nigeria. Adebiyi. Adeayo. 16 June 2023. 20 June 2023.
16. Web site: Burna Boy Preps For Upcoming Album With New Single, "Big 7". Bras Nevares. Gabriel. HotNewHipHop. 28 July 2023. 29 July 2023.
17. News: Cetin . Marissa . August 15, 2023 . KMRU launches label, OFNOT, with new album, Dissolution Grip . July 29, 2024 . DJ Mag.
18. Web site: Times . The Daily . 2023-04-27 . Katawa Singers to revisit old songs . 2023-12-02 . African News Agency . en-ZA.
19. Web site: New EP: Seyi Vibez — NAHAMciaga. Bella Naija. 8 December 2023. 22 December 2023.
20. News: Fountain . Nigel . Dennis Lotis obituary . 12 February 2023 . The Guardian . 12 February 2023.
21. Web site: Se-Anne Rall . Rapper AKA shot dead in drive-by shooting on Durban's Florida Road . IOL . 11 February 2023 . February 10, 2023.
22. News: Le musicien sénégalais Ismaïla Touré, cofondateur de Touré Kunda, est décédé à l'âge de 73 ans . 2 March 2023 . Le Temps . 28 February 2023.
23. News: Maako . Keitumetse . From Soweto to the world: How jazz maestro Gloria Bosman created music that would last forever . 3 April 2023 . News24 . 16 March 2023.
24. Web site: Pianist Niel Immelman has Died, Aged 78. Violin Channel. 11 June 2023.
25. Web site: 2023-07-21 . ساحر «الفلوت» .. الموت يغيّب الموسيقار السوداني العالمي حافظ عبدالرحمن . 2023-07-21 . صحيفة التغيير السودانية, اخبار السودان . ar.
26. Web site: 1 January 1970 . Musician OJ Blaq has passed away at age 40. . 23 August 2023 . GhanaWeb . en.
27. Web site: Political activist and musician Julian Sebothane Bahula has died. Timeslive.co.za. Phathu . Luvhengo. 1 October 2023. 2 October 2023.
28. News: Kennedy . Nyavaya . 2023-10-13 . Afropop star Garry Mapanzure dies, as medical air services falter . Newsday Zimbabwe . 2023-10-13.
29. News: President pays tribute to anthem composer Axali Doeseb . . 27 October 2023 .
30. Web site: عاجل.. وفاة الفنان السوداني الكبير محمد الأمين – النيلين . 2023-11-14 . ar.
31. News: 12 December 2023 . Zahara: South African music icon dies aged 36 . en-GB . 12 December 2023.
32. News: Gospel Musician Eric Moyo Dies. The Chronicle. 20 December 2023.