The year 2022 was no doubt a very successful year for the music industry as it saw the sporadic rise of many exciting new voices from around Africa, spanning from Afro-psychedelic rock and roll to hip-hop, and R&B. But, there were 3 female African Artistes that particularly stood out.
Now, the starting pistol has sounded for the 2023 tastemaker season and the music industry is back in full swing. The Nigerian music scene is more competitive than it has ever been, as many talented and skillful artistes are striving to conquer the #1 spot. So without further ado, here is our list of 3 Female African artistes to watch in 2023.
Tems
Make some way for the Nigerian award-winning singer and international ‘IT’ girl, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems. She has been single-handedly redefining the Nigerian music scene one musical note at a time. Her connection to music isn’t just lip service, its pure passion fueled solely by her journey, environment, and a rich bank of past experiences and future aspirations.
Recently, Tems added to her list of global achievements by featuring on the soundtrack for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ alongside Rihanna. Last year, she made history at the 2022 BET awards by becoming the first African female to win the Best International Category. Tems is taking the music industry by storm, watch out for her in 2023!
Gyakie
Afro-fusion artist Jacqueline Acheampong, popularly known as Gyakie is an award-winning singer-songwriter from Ghana. Her song “Forever” from her EP Seed propelled her steady rise to stardom and onto the international scene. The song trended for weeks on TikTok, peaked at number one in Ghana, number one on the Billboard Top Triller Global chart, and debuted in over 20 countries, making her one of the few Ghanaian female musicians currently making waves internationally with her music. Following her win at the 2022 Headies, Gyakie had proved that she’s an artist to be reckoned with.
Elaine
Growing up in Pretoria, South Africa, 23-year-old R&B artiste Elaine (born Ndivhuwo Elaine Mukheli) launched her own music career in 2019 with her independently released EP Elements. Element got her signed to US-based Columbia Records, with whom she is now working on her debut album, to be released in 2023. Her sound is traditional R&B, with influences of trap soul — a new music genre. She describes it as moody and warm, writing about her experiences, romance, and heartbreak – an honest representation of the things she goes through as a young woman navigating modern relationships. Elaine is one promising artiste to look forward to in 2023.
