There is a widely celebrated version of the African music story, one defined by viral clips, sold-out international shows, and rising popularity on the global charts.
However, behind this success is a less visible reality, where the music industry continues to grapple with the structures and red tape needed to support artists as they transition into global markets, often at high personal and financial cost.
This tension will be central to discussions at the Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC) 2026, which takes place at Constitution Hill on May 22 and 23, where conversations will focus on what it takes to make the international market and who ultimately pays the price for that success.
The African music industry is rapidly expanding, with Sub-Saharan recorded music revenues reaching US$120 million in 2025, up 15.2%. The industry is projected to exceed $10 billion by 2030 when including broader entertainment, live events, and streaming growth, driven by global interest in Afrobeats and Amapiano, according to the website Music Africa.
The country’s artists have doubled their earnings since 2022, generating R400 million a year, according to Forbes. In Spotify’s 2025 Loud & Clear transparency report, the “financial milestone” comes alongside explosive audience growth, with South African artists being discovered by first-time listeners over 1.1 billion times, a 55% increase since 2023.
Sarah Jane Nicholson, the conference's founder, cautions that the gap between perception and reality was widely misunderstood.
Nicholson is managing director of Paradise Africa Distribution, releasing music, building fan bases, curating industry conversations, and producing shows that inspire audiences across South Africa and Berlin. Her inspiration for Africa Rising emerged during a challenging period in her artist management career.
Today, the conference remains the continent’s premier platform for collaboration and growth. Nicholson has collaborated with heavyweights such as Mi Casa, Moonchild Sanelly, and Zakes Bantwini, and has helped establish Paradise Worldwide’s African division, amplifying the global reach of African talent.
Her proudest milestones include launching Africa Rising, creating Women in Music South Africa, facilitating Mamas in Music, curating SAMPRA export programmes, and releasing Zakes Bantwini’s global hit Osama, projects that collectively generate over 150 paid industry jobs annually.
Nicholson said the global rise of African music was often celebrated without recognising the personal investment behind it.
“What is often misunderstood is that this moment is not being funded by the industry. It’s largely being funded by the artists.
“Behind the visibility is significant personal investment in travel, content, teams, and international positioning, often without structured support.”
Speaking through her work within the Paradise ecosystem, she said many artists were reaching global audiences before they were properly equipped.
“The challenge is that many artists go global before they are plugged into that infrastructure.”
“Artists are suddenly navigating global attention without the systems in place to manage rights, data, or long-term value.”
While opportunity does follow, she warned that it is often fragmented and that copyright or ownership could be compromised.
“Control is usually the first thing that gets compromised, particularly around publishing, rights, and deals.
“ARMC exists to bridge that gap. It connects artists directly into this ecosystem, through real partnerships, not theory.”
Beyond individual careers, she points to broader industry weaknesses that become most visible when artists go global, particularly in rights management, data transparency, and export infrastructure.
She also highlights the growing urgency around artificial intelligence and ownership. “AI will reshape how music is created, distributed, and monetised, and artists must be included in that conversation from the start.”
At the centre of this year’s conference is a push to move beyond discussion and into structural change.“The goal is not to leave ARMC with ideas, but with aligned partners, active collaborations, and systems that continue working beyond the conference itself.”
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za
Saturday Star
