Apple Music highlights the next wave of African R&B artists with Soul September
Apple Music today launched its Soul September campaign, spotlighting the new wave of Africa’s burgeoning R&B and soul scene. With various iterations of these genres being reinterpreted by African musicians through Alté, neo-soul, Afrobeats and alternative R&B, Apple Music looks to highlight African R&B artists by prominently featuring a multitude of sub-genres.
Featured artists have all created exclusive playlists in this year’s Soul September campaign, and include Nigerian artists BOJ and Ayra Starr, Kenyan doyennes Karun and Xenia Manasseh, Ghanaian singer Camidoh, Botswanan singer Titose, as well as South African vocal talent boasting Halo Yagami, Filah Lah Lah and Marsbaby.
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Each carefully curated guest playlist features the artists’ favourite R&B songs of all time, alongside songs that have been vital in helping them craft their own distinct sound. The collection will also include the best new African and international R&B and soul releases as well as all the hottest breaking tracks, music videos and the artists’ Essentials playlists.
Filah Lah Lah
“I think I chose these songs for Apple Music’s Soul September because they combine my past, my present and future with music. In so doing they showed me some of my deepest sources of inspiration, whilst also showing how far I’ve come and how far I still need to go.” – Filah Lah Lah
Mars Baby
“These tracks in my Apple Music Soul September playlist are songs that inspire me, that have contributed to my growth and excited me as an artist. A lot of these are slow burners, intimate music that takes you somewhere. They show how vulnerable and stripped down soul music can be. I’m happy to say that a lot of the people on this list are my friends and collaborators.” – Mars Baby
Halo Yagami
“So I basically chose these records for this Apple Music Soul September playlist because I genuinely connected with each and every single song, old and new. Some of them my mother had cassettes of when I was growing up so they also mean a great deal to me.” – Halo Yagami
