Ghana’s the Afrobeats bedrock – Spotify Head of Music Phiona Okumu

Spotify’s Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa, Phiona Okumu, has shared that Ghana is the bedrock for the Afrobeats wave sweeping across the world.

She said this as a matter of fact in a media engagement and dinner organised by her company on Wednesday, 31 August, 2022. 

Class News’ Prince Benjamin was part of the invited media guests.

“I can tell you Ghana is the bedrock of Afrobeats, this current movement,” Phiona said. 

She also highlighted the influence Ghana’s music and music makers hold over other parts of Africa.

She cited the Kenyan Hiphop group Buruklyn Boys who have Ghana’s sensational rapper and singer Black Sherif as a muse and inspiration. 

“They want to collaborate with him,” she added. 

Ms. Okumu also revealed ‘Gospel’ is the third most listened to genre in Ghana, with “Asakaa” or Drill music being number one, followed by “Ghanaian AfroPop.”

According to Spotify statistics, since the streaming service’s official advent to Ghana in 2021, the Gospel music scene has seen a seventy per cent growth. 

As of June 2022, Spotify had 188 million paying subscribers worldwide.

Source: classfmonline.com/Prince Benjamin