If you’re an African musician, or a lover of African music, you would know that the Kora All African Music Awards is one of the biggest events on the African continent not to be missed. Courtesy of Josias Gassesse of africatopsuccess.com, we bring you the latest on this prestigious event taking place in December 2015:
After 10 year journey full circle, the KORA All-Africa Music Awards is back to Namibia for the 2015 edition.
It is a little known fact that the event is actually the joint brainchild of the Namibian President, Dr. Hage Geingob and Mr. Ernest Coovi Adjovi, at that time living in Namibia as Honorary Consul for Ivory Coast.
Conceptualised by the two as a spectacular cultural and entertainment event that would show excellence in African musical culture, the KORA All-Africa Music Awards has since become synonymous with the best that Africa and the diaspora have to offer on the music scene.
Accomplished musical luminaries who have graced the KORA stage over the years include Angelique Kidjo, Kofi Olomide, Miriam Makeba, Thandiswa Mazwai, Michael Jackson, Shaggy, Rihanna, Salif Keita, Oliver Mtukudzi, Bebe Winans and Femi Kuti, among others.
In addition, the Lifetime Achievement and Legendary Award have also been awarded to the late Nelson Mandela, Dr Cheick Modibo Diarra, Kofi Annan and Graca Machel.
Since its inception in 1996, the KORA All-Africa Music Awards has been hosted by South Africa, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast. Throughout, it has maintained its status as a major marketing platform for African talent and fertile ground for collaborations and partnerships among African artists. Boasting a live viewership of over 700 million in more than 54 countries worldwide, there is little doubt that the KORA Awards represent a meaningful game-changer in a participating artist’s life and career.
This year, the organizers have upped the ante and have introduced a grand prix of one million US dollars for the ultimate winner of the African Artist of the Year category. On top of that, various category and genre winners will all take home between USD 25000 and USD 50,000 dependent on the category.
All in all, 29 categories are planned for the event whose finale will be held on 13th December 2015 in Windhoek, (Namibia).
For more information on the categories or conditions to participate in Kora 2015, please click here.