We wondered what had become of Africa Unsigned, the online initiative which sprung up late in 2009 and proposed to get independent African artists in studio, on tour or whatever their professional need at the time required financing. Started up in part by the founder of Sellaband, AU was meant to use a similar crowd-funding models.
A panel of music judges including Damon Albarn, Tony Allen, Baaba Maal and Angela Angweni (judge on Africa Idols) determined which prospecting musicians would get the chance to bid to the crowd.
To date the biggest success story out of the whole exercise belongs to the Kenyan MC/singer/live music entrepreneur and all-round awesome girl Muthoni the Drummer Queen. After securing $5,000, Muthoni the Drummer Queen, will be releasing her first EP in spring 2011. Floris Jonker, one of the producers on the EP, made this dubstep remix of her hit song Mikono Kwenye Hewa, which goes a little something like this:
Muthoni the Drummer Queen: Mikono Kwenye Hewa (Floris Jonker dubstep remix) [ 3:12 ] Play Now | Play in Popup
The AfricaUnsigned.com criteria has now expanded to include African artists not just n the continent but in England and Europe too. The Uk Launch is on May 16 2011. And there’s knees up the day before in conjunctions with good folk at Lake of Stars. Deets below
Lake of Stars festival presents Africa Unsigned UK launch at Market Club
Date: Sunday 15 May 2011
Venue: Rich Mix, on the corner of Brick Lane and Bethnal Green Road.
Cover: Free entry
Time: 12noon – 10pm.
LIVE MUSIC: Rina Mushonga
DJ’S: Noisettes, Tayo, Dirty D.is.ko more TBC
