SongHubs heads to Africa for world first collaboration
Three-day cross-cultural songwriting program featuring David Rodriguez, Ngaiire, TAWAZ and more
20-22 October in Johannesburg, South Africa
12 songwriters to take part in world first partnership with AMA, CAPASSO and SAMRO
In a world first partnership, APRA AMCOS has announced its flagship collaborative songwriting program, SongHubs, will join forces with African counterparts the African Music Academy (AMA), Composers Authors and Publishers Association (CAPASSO) and South African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) for the inaugural African SongHubs.
Taking place from 20 to 22 October in Johannesburg, South Africa, African SongHubs will be a cross-genre, cross-cultural collaboration aimed at building creative and cultural bridges between songwriters from across the African continent, Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
12 songwriters will be taking part, three representatives from each organisation, including Australian/Spanish jazz maestro, David Rodriguez (GODTET); Papua New Guinea-born, Australian-based R&B and future soul singer-songwriter, Ngaiire; and Māori singer-songwriter, TAWAZ.
Songwriters from the African continent include Grammy-nominated South African singer-songwriter and producer, Brenden Praise; Zambian rapper, singer and songwriter, Cleo Ice Queen; producer from Congo, Thasi Ponda; and South African R&B sensation, Elaine.
Australian participant, David Rodriguez, explains: “This is the kind of project I live for — collaboration pushing music into new places. Being surrounded by artists from across Africa, PNG, Australia and Aotearoa is a rare and powerful opportunity. I’m grateful to be included and can’t wait to dive in and see what we create together.”
Ngaiire adds: “I’ve been wanting to get out to SA for some time, especially after discovering how some of my songs from the last record resonated in that territory. Really excited to get out there and work with some of the country’s best and very grateful for this opportunity from APRA! Pumped!”
Since its inception in 2013, SongHubs has provided opportunities for over 2,000 Australian and New Zealand songwriters across over 30 locations worldwide, pairing them with local, national and global creatives in a collaborative, professional studio setting.
It’s evolved from a straight-forward writing camp to a highly sought after collaborative writing program, providing participants with new skills and connections to help build their career and produce commercially successful music.
To date, more than 6,000 tracks have been produced from collaborators including Briggs, Chaii, Courtney Barnett, GFlip, Lindsay Rimes, Sarah Aarons and Troye Sivan, and releases crafted for the likes of Chris Brown, Killer Mike, Nicki Minaj and Zayn Malik.
Dean Ormston, CEO of APRA AMCOS, says: “SongHubs provides a world-leading collaborative experience that’s vital to exploring overseas opportunities, so to be able to partner with our African rights management counterparts and give members the opportunity to write in a culturally respectful and creatively rich environment is so exciting. I can’t wait to see what comes out of it!”
SAMRO General Manager: Marketing & Communications, Kgomotso Mosenogi, adds: “Cultural exchange is at the heart of creativity. African SongHubs embodies what SAMRO stands for, which is empowering our members with opportunities to learn, collaborate and innovate across borders. By participating in global conversations and sharing our uniquely African stories through music, our creators are enriched both artistically and professionally, which in turn strengthens the cultural and economic fabric of the South African music industry.”
Wally Badarou, President of AMA, concludes: “For the African Music Academy, co-organising the inaugural edition of SongHubs on the African continent represents a profound source of inspiration and a catalyst for fostering African creativity. This remarkable partnership is set to cultivate unique artistic and musical fusions, positioning this special edition of SongHubs as a significant milestone in the celebration and global promotion of African music”.
Follow @SongHubs on Instagram for all the latest program updates.
