The list of musical successes from Africa is already one of the countless traditions that mark the last days of the year.
As always, it is a very subjective list that has arisen from the many and good that African artists have published in the last twelve months.
We have tried to bring a bit of everything and cover the different corners of the continent.
But as usual, we remain open to your suggestions.
Zambian-born, Botswana-raised singer and rapper Sampa the Great has released her second album this year.
It is titled
As Above, so below
.
It contains an amalgam of fusions that start from zamrock and play with psychedelic rock, reggae, soul or traditional music.
Sung in English and Bemba (Bantu language spoken mainly in Zambia).
Among others it contains the much listened to
Never forget
(together with Chef 187, Tio Nason and Mwanjé) that was included in the trailer of the movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
However, we have opted for the collaboration that she does with Angélique Kidjo:
Let me be great.
Asa, who was considered the queen of Nigerian soul, seems to have turned to something different on her new album, V. She has introduced synths and other more current rhythms.
The experiment has not gone wrong for her because it has been very well received.
On this occasion, we have chosen her theme
De ella Ocean de ella.
The Nigerian Black Sherif cannot be missing from this list.
A young man who has broken the mold since the beginning of his short career and who continues to reap success.
In recent months, he has released his first album,
The villain I never was
.
With him he proves that his is not something temporary, that it has come to stay.
His raw narratives and his basic compositions give him a confidence that catapults him far.
Obviously the big theme of his, so far, is
Kwaku the Traveler
.
The Angolan rap group Funjada has also released a new album this year.
The title is in all caps: FUNJADA (KANDENGUE KALUANDA).
A job that reaffirms the freshness and good work of its six members, who like to maintain their anonymity and do not let anyone know about their private lives.
Here we have the theme
Torn
, a protest cry of the Angolan youth.
Nor could it be missing someone who appears on this list year after year.
It is about the Nigerian Burna Boy.
This year he has surprised us with a quieter and more intimate album,
Love, Damini.
In it, great international artists collaborate and also the South African choir Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
It is still pure Afrobeat, but something more relaxed.
The song
Last last
, one of the first published of this work, has broken records.
Another Nigerian who also does not stop reaping triumphs is Rema.
The artist has us accustomed to his themes and videos loaded with sexual tension.
His single
De él Calm down
is no exception.
It has been one of the most played on music platforms this year.
On
Tiktok it
has been in trend and a dance has even been created to accompany the theme.
So it could not be missing here.
In this list, the absence of a bit of bongo flava, the genre from the Swahili coast that triumphs throughout the continent, would be unforgivable.
The
Mtasubiri
theme has been one of the most popular of the year.
And it's logical because it's a collaboration between the undisputed king of this rhythm, Diamond Platnumz, and its queen, Zuchu.
This is one of the cuts from the latter's album,
First of all
.
A song full of love.
This year has also been one in which the South African amapiano genre has established itself as one of the most powerful rhythms on the continent.
A cloud of artists that has spread throughout the world has taken care of it.
As a test button, the song
Healer Ntliziyo Yam
by one of the pioneers of this genre, Gaba Cannal, with the collaboration of George Leslye and Russell Zuma.
One of the most danced songs in 2022 has come out of Uganda. It is Balo Balo, by Mudra D Viral.
A songwriter and singer who describes himself as a versatile artist across all genres.
The video came out just a month ago, and it has already crossed borders.
To conclude, we cannot forget the raï, which in September was declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
That cry of rebellion from Algerian society that confronts social taboos and addresses issues related to love, freedom, despair and the fight against all kinds of oppression.
This year, DJ Sanake has achieved great success with
Disco Maghreb
.
In it, the Franco-Algerian artist pays tribute to that first Oran record label, which was the great promoter of the genre.
You can follow PLANETA FUTURO on
,
and
, and subscribe
here
to our 'newsletter'
.
