Joeboy in "All For You." (Youtube)
BBC Radio's DJ Edu Picks His 10 Artists to Watch in 2020
DJ Edu, the host of BBC's new show This Is Africa, selects his 2020 artists to watch featuring Rema, Simba Tagz, Kabza De Small, Sheebah Joeboy, Innoss B and more.
DJ Edu has launched a new weekly show This Is Africa on BBC World Services.
The Kenyan-born, London-based DJ Edu will look to cover the best music from all corners of the African continent with spotlights on new artists and rising talent as well as the classics.
"It encapsulates everything I love about African music," DJ Edu mentions. "I'm really looking forward to, showcasing and sharing the great stories, music & culture coming out of young Africa with a new and existing audiences."
We asked DJ Edu to give us his picks for 10 Artists to Watch in 2020.
Check out his selections below.
Rema
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ae4a66404e8d89abf04df401cb3164fe"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FhhuOw_ypy0?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>"Rema was one of the most talked about young talents from Nigeria last year," says DJ Edu. "His diverse musical style makes him unique. One of his songs even appeared on Barack Obama's 2019 playlist."</p>Simba Tagz
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="feb668fcab434207630a95508fe147b2"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/86z7I6DuMzI?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>Zimbabwe's <strong>Simba</strong> is a producer who has been making hit records for afrobeats superstars, while mixing and mastering their sounds too," DJ Edu memtions. "He's now adding being an artist himself to that list."</p>Sheebah
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="37107f04c008b64bd484793371039c49"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6ZThZa6Ti8Y?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p><strong>"Sheebah</strong>, from Uganda, is fiery and energetic with ambition to be great. She started as a dancer, performing for many of the popular Ugandan acts but is now ready to take centre stage and be counted," says Edu.</p>Joeboy
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="161877f2b75281ef68b7980cb1b2315b"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/McFeIm5cQmM?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p><strong></strong>"<strong>Joeboy</strong> is gathering pace and already has two big anthems—'Baby' and 'Beginning'—under his belt, as well as a new EP. He's doing shows all over Africa so early in his career under the wing of <strong>Mr Eazi</strong>," DJ Edu mentions.<span></span></p>Kwesi Arthur
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c68b067e56748c810cb30104119adab9"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u9F2GbWo-Oc?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>"From releasing his first song in 2015 to two EPs in 2017 & 2019, <strong>Kwesi Arthur </strong>has become one of Ghana's most popular young artists," states Edu. "His music and lyrics really connect with the youth."</p>Kabza De Small
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d0ce01796903b6a0f2f718847c46548c"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r4KtC3t1sWk?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>"<strong>Kabza De Small</strong><strong></strong> is part of the amapiano movement from Jozi, South Africa and an understudy of legendary producer and self-proclaimed hit maker <strong>DJ Maphorisa</strong>," DJ Edu tells us. </p>Sho Madjozi
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f7ec9582c61bb723fe93311790b921c0"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_jkXL_TMEig?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>"<strong>Sho Madjoz</strong>i is a rapper, singer, and poet who is into pushing the Tsonga culture through her music," explains DJ Edu. "She recently won Best New International Act at the BET Awards."</p>Vanessa Mdee
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0fda4b5e6e212584d7f3233b33f1a8b5"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0jFuBmSYkIs?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>"<strong>Vanessa Mdee</strong> is already a household name already in Tanzania and the rest of Africa. She's now also dating <em>Power</em> star <strong>Rotimi</strong><strong></strong>, which<strong> </strong>could only help enhance her music reach further," says Edu.</p>Innoss B
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f034d82de0cd7b0818afb0ed2539876b"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ebZ7Ng1okCg?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>"<strong>Innoss B</strong> is a dancer and singer from DR Congo who fuses Congolese music with popular genres," DJ Edu mentions. "He's also a skilled djembe player. Innoss B won a national singing competition and has already been on tour with <strong>Akon</strong>."</p>Tems
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5a0c1b05c83486008fe8e1c9c2f1e40a"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hVEp-P2-rqY?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>"<strong>Tems</strong> is a Nigerian singer-songwriter with a powerful voice quite similar to <strong>Tracy Chapman</strong>. She joined the ensemble in secondary school & recorded tunes each day with her senior sibling. There is where she got her drive," Edu states.</p>
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