If anything, African music has consistently unfurled waves of new talent each year that have fueled worldwide interest in Afrobeats, Amapiano, and its many other subgenres. 2022 was a great year for artists like Buju, Coast Titch Y Asakethe success of which propelled them onto the main Wrapped charts in late 2022.
And while those talents brought their voices to the main stage, a host of rising stars also laid the foundation for their own breakout year. Some of these musicians are poised to release their best music in the coming months. Others have enjoyed early success on Spotify and show many signs of even greater success on the horizon. Others are relatively new elements, developing new versions of familiar sounds that point to major changes in popular music.
Hailing from Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda with a wide range of styles, cultures and perspectives, these artists are, according to Spotify data, the ones to watch in 2023.
At 17, Khaid is a Generation Z star kid in every way. His debut ‘With you‘ it was instant love, evoking a syrupy adolescent love story at its crescendo. As part of a generation of artists first discovered on social media, Khaid’s songs resonate with a core audience online, inspiring many viral challenges. Her inspirations from Afrobeats come to light in songs like ‘akpako‘, but Khaid also shows his emo-trap side in ‘Ski‘a favorite among young Nigerians in 2022.
Known by his producer tag, MAD!, the young producer is behind some of Afrobeats biggest songs. A long-term friendship with CKay gave birth to worldwide success ‘With love, Nwanti‘, now certified double platinum in the United States. 2022 showed a new beat to Tempoe’s hit-shaking powers; he produced joeboyviral success, ‘Alcohol‘ and performed in ‘Soweto‘global sensation from Spotify alumnus RADAR, victory. With over a hundred million Spotify streams under his name, Tempoe is poised to deliver more hits this year.
First introduced to fans for his dance skills, Poco Lee has applied his skill set to create some of the biggest street pop hits of 2022. Poco Lee has built a huge fan base by endorsing some of the up and coming talent more interesting, including bella shmurda Y hot boy. Whether it’s his ear for future success or his ability to put the right creatives in the same space, Poco Lee has blessed hit records like ‘Otilo‘ Y ‘YARD‘. Wherever Afrobeats go this year, you’ll find Poco Lee cooking nearby.
Bayanni has reached 2023 consecutive. The newest artist from Mavin, the house that produced Rema & Ayra Starr, came out with a self-titled four-track EP in September 2022. ‘TA Ta ta‘ has risen on the shoulders of a viral social media challenge to become almost inescapable. And it hasn’t stopped there, arriving at the Manchester City locker room, where Algerian footballer Riyad Mahrez chose the song to celebrate a stellar performance.
With only one release under its name, Brume remains a mysterious entity to some. The song of him, ‘obsessive worker‘ it is not. Released in 2021, the hustler’s simple anthem extols the virtues of perseverance and hard work as the young singer searches for his own holy grail. Brume first garnered attention with occasional freestyles on social media prior to Workaholic and as 2023 begins, ears are perked for the new music Brume has to offer.
Formerly known as yusufkanbai, YKB is an eclectic artist on many Ones to Watch lists. He has released a number of cult favorites over the years and built a stable community while winning The One, a competition from online publisher Clout Nigeria. YKB leveled up with 2021 before it blowsspinning fan favorites like ‘practice patience‘ Y ‘Osholibre’. He has converted even more fans with ‘2022’San Siro‘, a soccer-themed love story that has many convinced it’s time for YKB.
Kaestyle boasts a certain knack for words and narratives that, along with soothing melodies, have landed it in the libraries of many music fans. The singer’s debut EP, ‘Kae’s Study’ showcases his ability to play different lanes, offering drills in ‘Moving crazy’ and some wonderful Afropop in Blessings. His collaboration with victory‘True love‘ is an early fan choice, and fans will be eager to stream more of Kaestyle’s easy hits.
