Elsa Majimbo, Burna Boy, Uncle Waffles and Hilda Baci Named in TikTok’s First Visionary Voices Africa List
TikTok announces its debut Visionary Voices Africa List, celebrating trailblazing African creators, entrepreneurs, and industry disruptors making a global impact.
TikTok has unveiled its first Visionary Voices Africa List, honoring 15 trailblazing young Africans who are making significant cultural impact. This list celebrates emerging African voices and next-gen stars reshaping various industries across the continent. It highlights individuals who are creatively redefining African culture and using TikTok to educate, entertain and advocate for the African community.
The honorees are categorized into Creators, Small Business Owners and Industry Disruptors. Among the notable names are Grammy award-winning artist Burna Boy, U.S.-based Kenyan comedian and creator Elsa Majimbo, Guinness World Record-holding chef Hilda Baci and amapiano sensation, DJ and producer Uncle Waffles.
The full list includes Nigerian creator and short film producer Blaqboi and Bolo Bespoke, who uses TikTok to highlight his distinctive designs and the authentic style of his fashion house, Bespoke City. Also featured are South African entrepreneur and CEO of Afrocurl, Kayla Kim Kay and Mwangi Muthoni of Dreadlocks Nairobi, who has turned his Nairobi salon into a renowned hub for natural dreadlocks with his keen sense of style and passion for unique looks.
The list also includes The Joy, who captivated audiences at Coachella and received acclaim for their debut EP Amabutho. Travel blogger Popi Sibiya and Iremide, who won TikTok’s 2023 Top Creator Award in the Lifestyle and Education category, are among the standout names. Additionally, Arap Uria, a sports content creator with over 1.5 million followers, Alexa Schempers, founder of the Cape Town-based fashion label Rethread, and Chad Jones, renowned for his family dance videos, make the list. Rounding out the honorees is Banele Ndaba, known as Moghelingz, whose nostalgic TikTok videos offer both entertainment and education on African culture.
Accompanying the debut list, TikTok is introducing the #VisionaryVoicesAfrica programming hub within the app. This hub will include a curated music playlist that highlights the rich sounds putting Africa on the map. From July to August, TikTok will feature these influential African musicians, honoring their artistic contributions and cultural significance.
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