Diamond Platnumz, Ali Kiba and Rayvanny have popularized ‘bongo flava’, a special Tanzanian offering
In 2021, of Tanzania Diamond Platnumz she became the first sub-Saharan African singer to receive 1 billion views on his YouTube channel. The same year, Zuchu done the first female artist in East Africa to reach 1 million subscribers.
One of the hallmarks of Tanzanian music is its ability to blend traditional elements with modern influences, creating a unique sonic tapestry that resonates with listeners around the world.
For over a decade, popular artists from Tanzania including Diamond Platnumz, Ali Kimba and Rayvanny have been popularized bongo flavaa distinctive Tanzanian offering of romantic tunes with an urban rhythm influenced by the traditional taarab music from the coast of East Africa. “Bongo Flava” (“bongo” is its short form UbongoKiswahili for “brain land” or “intelligence”, and “Flava” is slang for the English word “flavour”) is one of the main species that crosses the borders of East Africa. Diamond Platnumz hit songs include; yes (remix) with Congolese singer Inoss “B” African Beauty with the American singer, Omarion, as I’m marrying you with No Yo. Ali Kiba’s popular hit songs include; Mwana, Aye and Cheketsa Cheketuawhile Rayvanny is known for hits like Kwetu, Mama Tetema and Mwanza.
Social media platforms are taking Tanzanian music around the world
Tanzanian artists are leveraging digital tools to amplify their voices and reach audiences across Africa and the rest of the world. Popular platforms like Spotify, SoundCloud and YouTube have become virtual stages for Tanzanian artists to showcase their talent and interact with a diverse audience. Social media channels play a critical role in creating fan communities and fostering collaborations across continents, blurring the lines between local and global music scenes.
Artists like Harmonize have collaborated with African and global music artists including; Awilo Longomba, Yemi Alade, Sarkodieand Naira Marley, to create a wider audience for their music. Others, such as Ali Kiba and Rayvanny, have followed similar trends in their ability to combine traditional Tanzanian musical elements with modern tracks, creating a unique tapestry that resonates with listeners around the world.
Use of the Swahili language
East Africa is home to over 200 million Swahili speakers, with Tanzania having the largest number of native speakers. South Africa has added Swahili as one of the languages to be taught in school curricula, stimulating interest in the spoken and written forms of the language. To reinforce this, in 2021, UNESCO declared July 7 as World Kiswahili Language Day. In addition, the African Union sought “to make Swahili the working language of the African Union and the language of wider communication in Africa”.
Tanzanian music mainly features Swahili lyrics, often infused with local dialects and, occasionally, foreign languages. In addition, Swahili is increasingly being used in Hollywood films and soundtracks. Movies like Star Trek, The Tomb Raider, Out of Africa and The Last King of Scotland have scored songs in swahili. Animated films also played their part in promoting the Swahili language and songs. We remember The Lion King’s “Hakuna Matata”. along with the character names, Simba (in English means “lion”), Rafiki (“Friend”) to Pumbaa (“To Daze”) and Shenzi (“Fool” or “Wild”).
Collaborations between Tanzanian artists and Hollywood have further enhanced the country’s musical influence on the world stage. Diamond Platnumz and his Wasafi Records announced a partnership with Warner in 2021. This partnership has produced artists such as Lava Lava, Mbosso, Zuchu, and Darlene.
Global development of Tanzanian music
In 2023, African music has made a huge impact, fueled by “Afrobeatsspecies, which is largely based in Nigeria and Ghana in the English-speaking states of West Africa. Nigerian singers like Burna Boy, Davido, Stream and Tems have taken the world by storm, hitting the global airwaves. For example, Rema’s “Calm down” scored over 1 billion streams on Spotifybecoming the first song by an African artist to achieve this status.
The growth of Afrobeats has helped promote the genre of Tanzanian music around the world through collaborations of musicians from Nigeria and Tanzania. The artists have gained international recognition through collaborations with Western superstars and exposure on streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. With global demand for different and authentic sounds on the riseTanzanian artists stand not just as ambassadors of their culture, but as torchbearers, helping to shape the future of African music.
Africa’s young population
Another important factor in growth is Africa’s young population, with over 70 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa’s population is under 30 years old. Digital service provider Audiomack noted that the growing young African population had become tasters that cannot be ignoredwhere a generation of creators have been empowered by the internet and streaming services.
The expanding number of Africans in the Diaspora it is also instrumental in increasing the demand for music from the continent.
Technology and monetization
While digital platforms have helped grow the market and reach of music for African and, in particular, Tanzanian music, there are real concerns about monetization and engagement. With revenue over USD 22 billion in 2022, Tik-Tok was asked to revise its payment policy from paying a lump sum to licensing music for a set period, “instead of paying a revenue share based on the popularity of each artist/label on its platform, Tim Ingham of Music Business Worldwide noted that TikTok is likely to become “too big and too powerful … to force it into a revenue-sharing deal.”
African music is incredibly popular on Tik Tok, and thus, such decisions will have a huge impact on artists’ future earnings. That may change, however, as US lawmakers consider changes to the way Tik-tok exists in the US.
YouTube, which remains the most popular music discovery platform for African fans, is working to address this dissatisfaction from artists and labels; to generate revenue. Through its two platforms, YouTube and YouTube Music, the platform promotes audio and, most importantly, visual content, and music lovers can participate in content from any part of the globe. Considering the fact that a significant portion of African creators gather the majority of their views on YouTube from their own continent, they face a more severe impact due to significantly lower advertising revenue per viewer or listener in Africa.
Spotify, now present in many African markets, has also struggled long review worldwide for low payments and concerns about master copies and publishing rights.
In conclusion, as African music continues to captivate audiences around the world, Tanzanian artists are at the forefront of this musical renaissance, showcasing the country’s rich cultural heritage and creative talent on a global scale. The harmony between tradition and technology in Tanzania’s musical landscape is a local phenomenon that expands into a global celebration of cultural richness in the digital age.