Africa is pulsing with music talent as artists explore new styles and gain global audiences. These 10 rising stars are poised to break out in 2024 and continue shaping the present—and future—of African music. Listen to the playlist here.

Khaid

Country: Nigeria

Nineteen-year-old Nigerian sensation KHAID had a string of pop smashes in 2023, underscored by the irresistible “Carry Me Go” alongside Boy Spyce. The Lagos native is poised to become the next breakout afrobeats artist to grace the international stage.

Shallipoppi

Country: Nigeria

Benin City’s Shallipoppi burst onto the scene last year with the boisterous “Elon Musk,” immediately establishing his distinctive hip-hop and amapiano fusion as Nigeria’s must-hear sound of 2023.

Lasmid

Country: Ghana

Exploding onto the Ghanaian music scene with his viral hiplife anthem “Friday Night” in 2022, 24-year-old Lasmid followed up last year with back-to-back pop hits—“Running” and “Bad Boy”—and provided the unforgettable hook on JZyNo’s “Butta My Bread.”

Qing Madi

Country: Nigeria

Qing Madi’s collaboration with BNXN, “Ole,” proclaimed one of the most exciting Nigerian debuts of the year. The 17-year-old’s self-titled EP arrived at the end of 2023, earmarking the R&B-leaning Afropop singer as a standout in an exciting crop of Nigerian newcomers.

JZyNo

Country: Liberia

Liberia’s JZyNo exploded onto the Afrobeats scene in 2023 with “Butta My Bread,” one of the continent’s biggest hits of the year—and the biggest song in the history of his country. The Accra-based star is poised to follow with a new EP and solidify his position as Liberia’s Afrobeats king.

D Voice

Country: Tanzania

D Voice was introduced to the world as the newest member of Diamond Platnumz’s Wasafi Records roster in late 2023. Following in the footsteps of Zuchu and Mbosso, the 25-year-old’s all-star debut album Swahili Kid has sat atop the Tanzanian charts since its release in December, positioning him as the Tanzanian artist to watch in 2024.

Alex Merryl

Country: Benin

Beninise influencer and singer Axel Merryl landed one of Francophone Africa’s breakout hits in 2023 with his kompa anthem “Kimi.” Capping off the year with another cross-country hit, “Celibataire,” alongside Ivorian Lil Jay Bingerack, Benin’s rising star’s first full-length project is one of the most anticipated of the year.

Bloody Civilian

Country: Nigeria

Producer-turned-singer Bloody Civilian dropped one of 2023’s standout albums with her debut release, Anger Management. The Abuja native’s alternative detour from contemporary Afropop was crystallized with the album’s refixed version at the end of the year, situating her as a genre-defying force in Nigerian music.

Nkosazana Daughter

Country: South Africa

South Africa’s Nkosazana Daughter rose to prominence through her standout features on Wanitwa Mos, Master K, and Lowsheen’s “Dali Nguwe” and “Sofa Silahlane.” The amapiano singer’s soulful debut album Uthingo Le Nkosazana arrived in 2023, positioning her as the voice of the next generation of amapiano.

Joshua Baraka

Country: Uganda

Joshua Baraka’s gospel-tinted Afropop sets him apart from the contemporary crowd in East Africa. Coming to the fore with his soulful smash “NANA,” the Ugandan’s Growing Pain’s EP in 2023 chartered a new course for the continent at large.

Lasmid

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