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Women have dominated the stage, streams, and cultural conversations this year, as Spotify Wrapped 2024 celebrates female trailblazers in Africa and beyond. With genres like Afrobeats and Amapiano fueling global trends, women artists have solidified their presence in the music industry, breaking records and barriers.
Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighted this shift: “Women are shaping an inclusive and diverse future for African music.”
Top Female Artists of Sub-Saharan Africa
Nigerian superstar Ayra Starr emerged as the most streamed female artist across Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya. Her album The Year I Turned 21, paired with a worldwide tour, captivated audiences globally. Ghanaians celebrated their own Gyakie, the fourth most streamed artist in her home country, while Nigeria’s Tems continued her global ascent, taking second place in Nigeria and Ghana and fourth in Kenya.
Other Nigerian icons like Tiwa Savage, Bloody Civilian, and Spotify EQUAL artists Qing Madi, Simi, and Fave further highlighted the country’s vibrant music scene.
Global Impact
From performing at the iconic North Sea Jazz Festival to charting on Rolling Stone’s Top 100 with Love Me Jeje, Tems has taken Afrobeats to the world. Similarly, South Africa’s Tyla dominated with multiple BET wins and MTV EMA nominations, while her album TYLA topped charts in countries from Tanzania to Saint Lucia.
Despite these achievements, Spotify emphasized the need for increased representation of African women in top music lists, underscoring that the journey to equity in the industry continues.
With over 2 million plays of Ayra Starr’s The Year I Turned 21 and Tems reaching Tokyo listeners with Born in the Wild, Africa’s women artists are undoubtedly taking the world by storm.
