If you still think the African music industry is a boys’ club, wake up; it’s 2025. The ladies are running the show!
Remember when Brenda Fassie was a force to be reckoned with? When Miriam Makeba’s voice was a movement? Well, history is at a full-circle moment, because African women are reclaiming their power in the music industry, and honestly, the men better keep up or step aside.
Last year, Tyla made history, snagging the Best African Music Performance Grammy for Water in a category that was practically created for Afrobeats. And on the second day of this month, Tems claimed the plaque for Best African Music Performance, a category full of renowned male heavyweights: Davido, Asake, Burna Boy and even (for whatever reason) Chris Brown.
These wins aren’t flukes. It signals the dawn of a new day, a proof that African women in music are no longer just “the female artists” in the industry. They are the industry. Their sound is global. Their impact is undeniable. Their influence? Growing by the minute. And it’s the beginning, considering more hot ones like Akua Music, waiting to claim their spot on the mainstream
But before you go thinking it’s a men vs. women thing, chill, because it’s not. But if male artists were ever under the illusion that this industry was their exclusive playground, they’ve got two choices—beat them or join them. Because collaboration, not competition, is the future. We love to see (read, hear) African music at its strongest when it’s diverse, when it’s a fusion of different energies, voices, and perspectives.
So, let’s put it simply: the female wave isn’t coming—it’s already here. You’re either riding it or getting swept aside. What’s it gonna be?
