ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT - The African Mirror

Apr

17

2025

Ethiopia’s viral dating show eyes Africa with Swahili and Pidgin dubs

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE afternoon sun slants through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Metasebia Yoseph’s office, casting a harsh glow on potted plants and vibrant abstract paintings that line the walls. The co-founder of D!NK Multimedia leans forward, her voice animated, as she recounts the journey of Latey: Looking for Love — a reality TV show that has upended Ethiopia’s cultural scene. Filmed in sleek Addis Ababa lounges, bowling alleys and ice-skating rinks — a far cry from Western clichés of coffee ceremonies — the show’s 10 female contestants navigate love, ambition, and societal expectations, all while racking up millions of YouTube views. Latey…

Apr

11

2025

By The African Mirror

Keyshia Cole live in SA this month

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE highly anticipated Keyshia Cole: Live in South Africa tour taking place later this month is almost upon us. The show organisers revealed the incredible local talent set to share the stage with the Grammy-nominated superstar. Keyshia Cole, known for her powerhouse vocals and soul-stirring performances, has etched her name in music history with chart-topping hits like 'Love', 'Heaven Sent' and 'Let It Go'. Her magnetic stage presence and raw, emotional lyrics have earned her a devoted fanbase worldwide – and South Africa is no exception. Get ready for an electrifying experience! Joining the upcoming tour is none other than…

Apr

09

2025

By LUCY DURÁN

Amadou Bagayoko: the blind Malian musician whose joyful songs changed west African music

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AMADOU Bagayoko (1954-2025), iconic Malian guitarist, singer and composer of the famed duo Amadou & Mariam – known as “the blind couple of Mali” – passed away on 4 April in Bamako. He was 70. The married singers, who met when she was 18 and he 21, took traditional Mali music and blended it with Western rock and many other influences to shape a whole new sound that was both rich and playful. They would sell millions of albums for hits like Sunday in Bamako and Sabali. They would tour the world, opening the 2006 men’s Football World Cup, closing…

Apr

04

2025

By JYHENE KEBSI

Tunisia’s rap revolution: 5 women who are redefining hip-hop

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

WOMEN rappers were not really a feature of Tunisia’s typically masculine and chauvinist hip-hop scene until the revolution that overthrew Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011. Now there are several politically conscious female voices rising in the rap scene. Gender studies scholar Jyhene Kebsi has published a research paper on how their lyrics highlight the multiple inequalities that women in Tunisia – and the world – must overcome. How have male Tunisian rappers generally treated women in their songs and videos? The gender politics of Tunisian men’s rap is complex, but we can talk about one of its tendencies. Although…

Mar

26

2025

By SETH ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Recorded music revenue in Africa swells more than 22% on strong digital demand

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

MUSIC revenue across Africa surged over 22% in 2024, surpassing the $100 million threshold, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). Earnings were fuelled by subscription streaming, making Africa one of the fastest-growing music markets globally. The report's Africa figures exclude North Africa, the addition of which would have boosted the continent’s reported total revenues well beyond the US$110 million highlighted in the IFPI's Global Music Report 2025. Global Music Report 2025 numbers show Africa’s revenue growth considerably outpaced the global average of 4.8%. Streaming accounted for most of the continent's revenue growth as mobile internet penetration…

Mar

24

2025

By TINASHE MUSHAKAVANHU

African safaris and colonial nightmares: a visit to artist Roger Ballen’s latest show

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

BORN in the US, Roger Ballen, the internationally renowned photographer, has lived in South Africa since the 1970s. He gained a cult following for his grotesque, surreal images of white poverty, captured on the rural fringes during apartheid. His work exposed not only the exploitation and marginalisation of his subjects but also the reality of apartheid’s failure to uplift even its privileged white minority. Over time, Ballen’s practice has expanded beyond photography into a hybrid realm of exhibition, installation and performance. His new Johannesburg space, the Inside Out Centre for the Arts, serves as a theatre for this experimentation. The…

Mar

22

2025

By The African Mirror

MultiChoice integrates podcast content into TV programming, reversing viewership decline

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

MULTICHOICESA has launched a strategic initiative to incorporate popular South African podcasts into its television programming, successfully attracting younger viewers and reversing subscription cancellations. The media company identified an 18% decline in viewership among the under-35 demographic, prompting an innovation to bring established digital voices to traditional television platforms. The initiative features prominent South African podcast creators including MacG's "Podcast and Chill" and several others who have built substantial digital followings without traditional media infrastructure. Industry reaction was initially mixed. Some veterans dismissed it as desperate, while digital content creators debated whether joining television would compromise their independence.." MultiChoice adapted…

Mar

04

2025

By HARRIETTE RICHARDS; ARI MATTES; GREGORY CAMP; STUART RICHARDS and TOM CLARK

From the fashion to the speeches to the music, this was an Oscars of few surprises. 5 experts break it down

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

IN a year with few surprises in the awards categories, there was also a dearth of surprises on the red carpet. The sartorial themes included sparkling metallics, coloured menswear and bows, bows and more bows. Metallic gowns that resemble the Oscar statue are a familiar sight at the Academy Awards and this year was no different. Some of the standouts included best actress nominee Demi Moore in a magnificently glittering silver Armani Privé gown, Selena Gomez in a custom Ralph Lauren encrusted with 16,000 individual blush-toned jewel teardrops, and Emma Stone in a minimalist Louis Vuitton sheath covered in iridescent…

Feb

28

2025

By DAVID MURPHY

Mati Diop is a new star of African cinema – what her award-winning movies are about

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

MATI Diop has cinema in her blood. The 42-year-old Senegalese-French actress launched her feature film directing career in spectacular fashion with Atlantics, which took the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019 and won a string of awards. Her documentary Dahomey has made similar waves and was longlisted for the 2025 Oscars. We asked Senegalese film scholar David Murphy to tell us more. Who is Mati Diop? Mati Diop is a hugely talented and innovative film director. She is also an accomplished actor who has starred in a number of French films, in particular Claire Denis’s 35 Shots…

Feb

25

2025

By The African Mirror

A SOULFUL LEGACY LIVES ON: Remembering Roberta Flack, the Timeless Voice of a Generation

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

ROBERTA Flack, the legendary singer-songwriter whose soulful voice and timeless classics have inspired generations across Africa, the United States, and the world, left this earth on February 24, 2025, at the age of 88. Her passing marks the end of an era, but her music will forever remain a testament to her enduring legacy. Roberta Flack in 1971. By CMS-Creative Management Associates/John Levy (management) - eBay front back, Public Domain, Wikimedia Born on February 10, 1937, in Black Mountain, North Carolina, Roberta grew up in a musical family in Arlington, Virginia. Her mother, a church organist, instilled in her a…