Africa will be unstoppable at the 2016 All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, as the International Committee of AFRIMA in association with the Africa Union Commission (AUC) and the Official Host City, Lagos State reveals an unprecedented stellar line up of top billed African stars including AFRIMA 2016 nominees and multiple award-winning South African choral group, Soweto Choir who have confirmed attendance at the main awards ceremony in Nigeria on Sunday, November 6.
Billed to hold at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, the main awards ceremony is preceded by the AFRIMA Music Village, a concert event at the WaterFront, Bar Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. In addition to the 22-man Soweto Gospel Choir, AFRIMA 2016, tagged AFRIMA 3.0, will host over 352 African superstars during the award’s programme of events from November 4 to November 6.
Soweto Gospel Choir is unarguably the most decorated choral group in Africa, having won multiple awards including Grammy Award for Best Traditional World Music Album, “Blessed” and “African Spirit,” in 2007 and 2008 respectively. The 22-member choir ensembles blend elements of African gospel, Negro spirituals, Reggae and American Popular Music.
Confirming their performance at AFRIMA3.0 Awards in November, Executive Producer/Director Soweto Choir, Beverly Bryer, stated: “Soweto Choir is honoured to have been nominated at the AFRIMA in 2015 and to perform at the AFRIMA 2016; we look forward to returning to Lagos for this exciting event”.
Other nominees billed to attend or perform at the awards ceremony on November 6 and the AFRIMA Music Village on Friday November 4, 2016 respectively include the Afrobeat crown prince and four-time Grammy Award nominee, Femi Kuti (Nigeria) and Manu Dibango (Cameroon), whose song “Soul Makossa” has influenced several popular music hits, including Michael Jackson’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'”, as well as his re-recording of that song with Akon, the Fugees’ “Cowboys”, and Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music” and comedian Eddie Murphy in his 1982 parody song “Boogie in your butt”.