With Music Meets Runway (MMR) kicking off tomorrow, the team behind it has finally announced the talented acts that will grace its stage – the artists from across Africa that will perform at Eko Hotel & Suites, in front of a crowd studded with celebrities, socialites and top professionals.
MMR 2014, dubbed ‘The African Edition,’ will boast musicians from right across the continent, with various styles of music on offer on the night, from the reggae-dancehall sounds of Patoranking, to the Niarobian nuances of Sauti Sol.
The full list of musicians who’ll provide the soundtrack to runway showcases by Africa’s best in design (see a full list of designers, here) are revealed as;
- Patoranking, aka. Patrick Nnaemeka Okorie, a Nigerian artist known for his reggae singer-songwriting, and club bangers like “Girlie O” and “Alubarika” as well as his amazing collaborations with Tiwa Savage, Seyi Shay and Run Town, amongst others.
2. Efya-Jane Fauzzier, popularly known as Efya, is a neo-soul vocalist, songwriter and performer from Accra, Ghana, known for hit singles like “Forgetting Me,” “One of Your Own,” “Weather for Two” and “Life.”
3. Cynthia Morgan is MMR 2014’s breakthrough artiste – a new talent from Benin City with a popular debut track called “Don’t Break My Heart.” She has already performed alongside Mo’Cheddah, Nikky Laoye, Sound Sultan and Lami and is expected to rock the stage at the event.
4. Sauti Sol is a Kenyan Afro-Pop band from Niarobi, formed of vocalists Bien-Aime Banaza, Wills Chiamano and Delvin Mudigi. MMR 2014 will be their first ever performance in Nigeria, but with accolades including awards and nominations for Best African Act, Most Gifted East African Group and Best International African Group, amongst others, they’re certain to make a lasting impression.
5. Seyi Shay is known for her hits “Irawo,” “Ragga Ragga,” “Murda” and “Crazy,” and has shared the stage with some of Nigeria’s best as well as international acts like Chris Brown, Wale and Rick Ross. The singer-songwriter’s performance at MMR 2014 is not to be missed.
7. Wizkid, aka Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, is a popular Nigerian artist who started his career in music at the age of 11. Having bagged various awards including a BET Award and a MOBO Award, Wizkid’s talent is one to look forward to seeing live at MMR, with tracks from his latest album, Ayo (Joy) including collaborations with Akon, Tyga, Wale, Seyi Shay, Banky W and Femi Kuti, amongst others.
6. Idris Oshingbade, who goes by his stage name, Karate Kid is known for hits like “Olowo La Laye” and “Jo Fun Daddy.” As a young and talented musician from Ogun State, he has been selected as Music Meets Runway’s New Artist Spotlight for 2014.
9. Ice Prince (Panshak Henry Zamani) is a a hip-hop recording artiste and performer who rose to fame after releasing “Oleku,” one of Nigeria’s most remixed songs of all time. Since receiving various awards including a Channel O Award and a BET Award, Ice Prince has released a second album, Fire of Zamani, from which he’ll perform memorable tracks to the audience at this year’s Music Meets Runway event.
8. DJ Cuppy, whose birth name is Ifeoluwa Florence Otedola, is a fast-rising 21 year old talent and the official DJ for MMR 2014. She has also performed in top clubs and events in Paris, New York, Dubai and Nigeria, and specialises in “neo-afrobeats,” – a genre of music which blends electric house with Afrobeats. D
9. Mpumi is a star popularly known for her songs “Somandla,” “That Feeling,” and “Sol Phenduka.” She is a South-African artist who has been dominating the industry in phenomenal ways, having played in countries like France, Switzerland and Spain. She’ll be playing at MMR 2014 and we can’t wait to see the performance.
As proud partners of the event and having looked at the lineup, we at SPICE suggest you get your tickets asap or follow all the action from the 2014 Music Meets Runway on Instagram via @musicmeetsrunway – because for sure, this event is not one to miss.
Image source: MMR
