Photo Credit: Afro Nation / @JMULKA
Celebrating and showcasing Afrobeats and other Black genres, Afro Nation‘s foray into the U.S. market has been an astonishing success. Today, the brand’s second U.S. festival, Afro Nation Detroit, reached its triumphant conclusion, packing in performances from an array of international all-stars and icons on the rise.
Sunday’s festivities culminated in a performance from Davido, a foundational figure in the modern Afrobeats scene. With deep roots in both Nigeria and the United States, Davido was the ideal closer for the event, and he lived up to his billing with performances of classic hits, songs from his 2023 album Timeless, and a duet with special guest Latto, of the recently released remix to his hit single, “UNAVAILABLE” ft. Musa Keys that dropped this past Friday.
Earlier in the afternoon, fans at the historic Brewster-Douglass location witnessed a performance from Nigerian brother-brother duo P-Square, who were among the first to mix Nigerian styles with contemporary hip-hop and R&B in the mid-’00s. Always an energetic performer, Coi Leray put on a show with choreography and her growing catalog of hit, while Masego demonstrated his incredible musicianship across multiple instruments. Congolese-French star Franglish, Nigerian singer Teni, and Detroit-native Ebony Riley touched the stage earlier in the day. Meanwhile, at the Piano People stage, fans danced all day to the superb South African sounds of Major League Djz, DBN Gogo, TxC, and more, as well as participated in an enthusiastic sing-along of Libianca’s Hot 100 hit “People.”
With its two U.S. festivals in 2023, Afro Nation Detroit and May’s Afro Nation Miami, Afro Nation proves that there is plenty of room in the American market for Afrobeats to thrive. As the genre continues its run as one of the most popular global genres, Afro Nation will continue to showcase its best and brightest stars, provide a platform for rising African artists, and weave in representatives from Global Black genres including, but not limited to, hip-hop, R&B, reggae, dancehall, soca, amapiano, and reggaeton. Stay tuned for more announcements from Afro Nation–the world’s biggest celebration of Afrobeats and African Culture will return to the U.S. in 2024.
© 2023, Seth “Digital Crates” Barmash. All rights reserved.
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