Tour Africa without leaving your seat
BOILER Room’s True Music Africa tour culminates in an illuminating panel discussion and a party next week.
The music and culture platform has been to Cape Town, Doha and Nairobi to check out their underground music scenes.
This resulted in documentaries about the places and their sounds. Finally, Boiler Room is to bring its signature True Music Forum on June 20 and a concert on June 21. Both will be broadcast live worldwide.
The forum will include a talk by Grace Ladoja.
Ladoja was awarded an MBE for her services to music for her previous visit to participate in talks about streetwear and music. Now she manages Skepta and has a distinct DIY approach to the music projects she gets involved in.
There will also be panel discussions on that day. Expect to see Kenyan artist Muthoni, Drummer Queen and Phenda Kuta, the founder of youth culture magazine Unlabelled in conversation with Okay-Africa’s Sabelo Mkhabela. They will talk about the link between technology and culture.
There will also be a panel on club culture in Africa and here Boni Mnisi will talk with DJs Doowap and Kenny “DJ Kenzhero” Nzama as well as Matchbox Live chief executive Theresho Selesho.
On June 21, it’s time to party, with DJ Maphorisa, Weheartbeat’s Symatics and Uncle Partytime on the decks. Da Capo will also provide some jams and Moonchild Sannelly will be back home after touring overseas for a long time to perform on stage.
Both events will be streamed live to make sure everyone is a part of the experience without having to wait in line or travel.
True Music Africa has been a project dear to the hearts of the folks at Boiler Room and Ballantine’s. As Tom Eaton, head of music at Ballantine’s, says: “True Music Africa has brought so many vibrant and diverse scenes, and phenomenally talented musicians to an international stage.
“The positive feedback we’ve been getting from fans has been amazing. For this epic tour to culminate in Johannesburg, one of the places True Music first visited, makes perfect sense and I’m so excited for what’s still to come.
“We have a cool finale planned as well as our first Forum in Africa where we will not only champion and give voice to a great roster of local talent, but also an impressive line-up of some of the industry’s most respected names who are making waves in Africa and beyond.”
The Boiler Room and Ballantine’s True Music Africa forum and concert takes place on June 20 and 21 in Johannesburg. Visit www. truemusic.boilerroom.tv to watch the live broadcast.