FORBES AFRICA attended the second edition of the Benin International Arts Festival and found the tiny West African nation to be a hub of creativity with an emerging pool of talent.



As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting its glow over the streets of Cotonou, the Palais des Congrès (Congress Palace) and Place de l&#8217;Amazone (Amazon Square) came alive with an array of colors, rhythms, and stories from April 23 to 28 at the second edition of the Benin International Arts Festival (FinAB).



&#8220;FinAB is a multicultural platform that aims to unite youth and adults around their passions for the arts. It is a beautiful festival full of colors and rich in animation. The debate conferences on FinAB are moments of exchange where you learn a lot from our experts from across Africa,&#8221; shares Ulrich Adjovi, the founder of FinAB.



The air was electric with anticipation as artists, cultural mavens, and eager enthusiasts converged to explore a diverse range of topics, including the role of technology in advancing creative cultural industries, organizational and financial strategies within the fashion sector, monetization methods in the digital music landscape, the current state of the film industry, and the challenges surrounding financing festivals in Africa, under the theme: Identity and Multiculturalism: Impacts on Africa&#8217;s Creative Cultural Industries.



Def Jam Africa’s Expansion In French-Speaking Markets



Trickling in on the second day of the festival was news of Universal Music France (UMF), a division of Universal Music Group (UMG), unveiling a collaboration with Binetou Sylla, Senegalese producer and founder of Wèrè Wèrè Music label, to lead Def Jam Africa&#8217;s expansion within French-speaking markets on the continent.



&#8220;It&#8217;s a partnership meant to expand opportunities for regional talent under a label [Def Jam Africa] I personally launched, which will continue to thrive within Universal Music,&#8221; Franck Kacou, Managing Director of Universal Music Africa, shares with FORBES AFRICA on the sidelines of the festival.



The alliance between Universal Music France and Sylla&#8217;s expertise represents a pivotal moment in African music&#8217;s global trajectory.



With the continent&#8217;s music market experiencing unprecedented growth, Kacou emphasizes the broader implications of this collaboration, stating, &#8220;This label also operates in English-speaking countries. The aim of this partnership is to promote African French-speaking urban country talent. It&#8217;s excellent news. Now, what has been achieved and what is currently underway in English-speaking countries should serve as inspiration for French-speaking counterparts. Instead of comparing these two realities, let&#8217;s draw inspiration from African English-speaking countries to nurture the development of the French-speaking African music industry.&#8221;



Unlocking Benin&#8217;s Cinematic Potential



Beninese film director and actor Kismath Baguiri underscores the urgent need for governmental intervention to invigorate the country&#8217;s cinematic landscape.



Baguiri says, &#8220;The Beninese government must create an administrative and legal framework to allow productions to flourish.&#8221;



&#8220;Creating a conducive environment for the development is crucial because without it, what life will these works have? Where will they be distributed? What will the return on investment be? What impacts will this have on the local economic sector?&#8221; queries Baguiri.



Highlighting the multifaceted potential of the industry, Baguiri states, &#8220;We are creatives. We are the spokespersons for the culture we want to sell locally and internationally. We are the creators of an art that goes beyond the artist.&#8221;



In advocating for collaboration, Baguiri stresses, &#8220;It&#8217;s important to engage with those who are already doing it successfully to understand what works for them and adapt it to our realities and context.&#8221;



Echoing Baguiri&#8217;s sentiments, another Beninese film director Claude Balogoun notes the urgent need for practical structuring within the film sector. &#8220;We need laws to govern cinema, especially the cinematographic code.&#8221;



Balogoun further mentions the importance of collaboration with other countries, citing Nigeria, Côte d&#8217;Ivoire, Ghana, and Burkina Faso as potential partners. &#8220;Benin benefits by opening up to others,&#8221; he states.



Securing Funding And Harnessing Economic Potential Of African Festivals



Senegalese rapper Didier Awadi explains the importance of a visionary approach: &#8220;You need to have a vision, be original, and demonstrate your commitment.&#8221; Awadi underscores the necessity of proving a project&#8217;s viability and profitability to attract investors, emphasizing the pivotal role of a solid foundation.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Local-fashion-fervor-at-Benins-art-festival-image-supplied-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-62104" style="width:552px;height:auto" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Local-fashion-fervor-at-Benins-art-festival-image-supplied-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Local-fashion-fervor-at-Benins-art-festival-image-supplied-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Local-fashion-fervor-at-Benins-art-festival-image-supplied-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Local-fashion-fervor-at-Benins-art-festival-image-supplied-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Local-fashion-fervor-at-Benins-art-festival-image-supplied.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Local fashion fervor at Benin&#8217;s art festival (image supplied)</figcaption></figure></div>


Highlighting the economic impact, Awadi points to festivals like the Timitar Festival in Agadir and the Niger’s Ségou Art festival in Mali as catalysts for local economic growth. &#8220;Those festivals change the mood of their respective cities,&#8221; he observes, noting the widespread engagement from hoteliers to artisans, positioning festivals as significant economic drivers.



Mohamed Doumbia, of the African Culture Fund in Mali, advocates for indigenous development as the cornerstone of sustainable festival financing. &#8220;We have always worked to gather local intelligences, strengths, and resources first, upon which we primarily rely to gradually build an organization similar to those in Northern countries,&#8221; Doumbia narrates.



Moroccan cultural manager Brahim El Mazned reflects on the need for continual justification and networking in securing funding. &#8220;In the cultural sector, nothing is granted,&#8221; he acknowledges, emphasizing the importance of building sustainable partnerships beyond single editions.



He adds: “All studies, whether in Africa or elsewhere, justify that culture has a significant impact on a country&#8217;s economy. For the community, a festival is an opportunity for reunions, joy, conviviality, wellbeing, and peace. That&#8217;s priceless.”



Influencer Grateful For Support



Beninese influencer Ery emerged victorious at the closing ceremony of the festival, showcasing her gratitude for the support she&#8217;s received.



&#8220;It&#8217;s grace and I just want to thank those who always support me,&#8221; Ery shares with FORBES AFRICA.



Acknowledging the expectations placed upon her, Ery reveals her determination to push further. &#8220;They are asking me to work hard. To not sleep again because this reward is like a boost. So I can&#8217;t stop,&#8221; she asserts.



Promising her followers more engaging content, she adds, &#8220;I will create more content, in music, dance to make proud my followers.&#8221;



Reflecting on the significance of personal branding in her field, Ery discloses its potential for lucrative opportunities. &#8220;I think that in our domain, it is important to build a brand and keep our image,&#8221; she explains. &#8220;Therefore thanks to your image, you can have many opportunities. By doing so, a big company hires your communication skills to promote their brand. That can be a big source of income for you and the company.&#8221;



Fashion Designer Praises Innovation In Local Fashion Scene



Beninese fashion designer Bakari Abdoul shares his excitement about the evolving fashion landscape in Benin, following his experience at the festival&#8217;s fashion parade.



&#8220;This is my first time attending this kind of show. A fashion parade like musicals,&#8221; Abdoul remarks. &#8220;I was not expecting such an innovation in Beninese fashion. I really like it and it is a pleasure to be among the first people that took part of it. The fashion industry is taking off in our country. It&#8217;s developing fast, because previously, nothing was moving on.”



“In a few years, Benin will be proudly represented all over the world. The fashion industry has a significant impact on the economy of the country. Our government noticed that and they started investing in our domain.”

Musical notes in Benin; image supplied

Fashion And Cinema From Benin? And There’s More  

Spotify Monthly Listeners: 505K YouTube Total Average Views: 21 Million SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORTH Instagram: 465K Twitter: 96.7K Facebook: 2.4 Million TikTok: 37.4K



The winner of five Grammys with 14 albums to her name, Angélique Kidjo is one of the greatest artists in international music today. Time Magazine has called her “Africa&#8217;s premier diva” and she has cross- pollinated the West African traditions of her childhood in Benin with elements of American R&amp;B, funk and jazz, as well as influences from Europe and Latin America. She recently released Queen of Sheba – it’s on Spotify – with Ibrahim Maalouf from Lebanon. In an exclusive interview with FORBES AFRICA from Paris, Kidjo says she is right now, in a moment where “things are blooming in her inspiration zone”. She talks life, work and the road ahead for her – and African music. Excerpts:



Q. At age 21, you became a star in Benin, with the album Pretty. But you had to quietly flee your home for Paris at 23, because of the regime that took over in Benin. It was Paris in the 1980s and you were at the prestigious jazz school, CIM. How did you connect with African music? What were you influences at the time?



A. My permanent influence in my music until now is always the culture and tradition of my country. The magnificent thing I learned from my musical journey doing my trilogy album tracing back the roots of slavery through music, is that there&#8217;s not one music in which I don&#8217;t find Africa, it does not exist. We live in Africa not knowing and realizing the power of our culture, how we have ruled the music on the planet. People can say no to it, but it&#8217;s okay. That fact is it’s never going to disappear. Because we are all from Africa – homo sapiens came from Africa. And for me, in that journey, looking back at my culture was something that empowered me the most. I wrote a song called The Sound of the Drums. Because I have to come back, after all this, I said to myself, ‘I have got to figure out if I am dreaming, if I am fantasizing, I am romanticizing the power of my drums and the music of my continent and my country’. And I went back, the awe was still there&#8230; And I&#8217;ve been booed, been bullied and asked ‘is this classical music, you can’t say this’, and I say ‘I will prove to you one day’. All the way, it’s proving to people that everything I do is to build cultural bridges for people to see not only through music that we have one music, but also we are one humanity, we are all unique.



Q. When you went on stage to receive your Grammy this year (Best Global Music for Mother Nature), was there any other emotion you felt that you didn&#8217;t the previous four times you received the award?



A. I did not expect to win, even though I was nominated three times in that category. Because the competition was tough. Being nominated is already a great honor. For me, each nomination is [proof ] my work is out there. People are paying attention to what I do. When I won, I was humbled and didn&#8217;t know what to do&#8230;



I was in total panic, because I did not expect to win. For me, winning a Grammy is not only my work – and I work hard – but also [that of ] the people that come and share the talent with me. And we have a conversation about climate change on this album with new artists.



Since I&#8217;ve written my autobiography (Spirit Rising), I&#8217;ve been doing a lot of talks at universities, and it&#8217;s always exciting, challenging, thrilling to speak to youth in campuses. They have so many ideas. I&#8217;ve been sitting with deans of universities, telling them how come we do not prepare our kids for the workforce&#8230; You can&#8217;t just give them education and let them run out like that, it’s not productive or constructive for us, because we lose a lot of great people the way we are doing this.



Q. On young people and artists, your album Mother Nature also featured Africa&#8217;s young superstars, such as Mr Eazi, Yemi Alade, Burna Boy&#8230; what was that experience like?



A. What I learned from them is their professionalism – it’s mind-blowing. Every music that had been sent was spotless. I had waited for this day&#8230; And on top of being artists, these are entrepreneurs, they understand they have to be free. [In my time], I had to sign a contract for 10 years&#8230; These kids have the right to do whatever they want. They sat back and learned from my experience, and the experiences of Youssou N&#8217;Dour, and Salif Keita. And they don&#8217;t want to take that road. They want to be free in their own right and they are right to be free. And they have to learn that to last, they need discipline: when you say you have got to deliver, you have to deliver. Because when you come from Africa, it&#8217;s a double tragedy, because they expect you to be late, they expect you to do a job that isn&#8217;t good, everything goes against you.



You always have to prove that what you say is what it’s going to be and you can deliver. 



Q. Is that perception changing globally now?



A. Not really. It’s changing but slowly, because those young artists are filling up big venues, and they are unapologetic and taking whatever opportunity they have to be here. Some people are resisting that thinking that it’s going to be a fashion that will dwindle, but it’s going to last and they&#8217;re going to come to the ball. They&#8217;re going to jump on this boat sooner or later.



Q. What is in the next phase of your career?



A. I don&#8217;t know what the future holds. But what I know deeply at the center of my work is that if you don&#8217;t see your own humanity, you can’t see humanity in anybody. If you have freedom and you are not fighting for the freedom of others, you don&#8217;t have any. It’s not just words for me, it’s fact. When we lose sight of those principles, of those self-evident truths, we put ourselves in danger. Because when we allow the bully to walk away with crimes without being punished, they will knock at your door and do the same thing. Our complacency and silence have allowed many people to live a very difficult life that was unnecessary.



So for me, my energy comes from the fact that I believe that what is true is true, what is fair is fair, and let&#8217;s work together. And in that, there is no concept of color, of language, of religion, nothing!



Q. You have global fame. What does fortune mean to you?



A. Fortune for me has never been a matter of money. Because money is a tool that allows you to buy things. But essential things, money can never buy – such as health, and the air you breathe, which is polluted. You can have billions of dollars in your bank account, but you can’t clean that air.



You have got to be happy with yourself and content with what you have to be able to live a balanced life&#8230; What is our purpose on this earth? And that&#8217;s the question I ask all the time, you have to find your purpose before making any plans. And when you start making plans, don&#8217;t make one, have plan A, B, C, D, E, as much as you can. If one door closes, get to the next one. You can fall all the way beneath earth, but you can always rise if you want it&#8230;



In business, having money is a good thing but my father&#8217;s mother always used to say to me that if you are given the choice to choose between your friend and wealth, choose your friend because your friends, when you need them, will be there. When you are down, they will come and talk to you.



Q. And is social media your thing?



A. That is part of the game. But being on stage is what creates a career. I never liked being in a studio, because I started my career on stage. But I knew that going through the studio was compulsory for me to be able to have a career. So doing both is equally important.



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Tag: Benin

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

Fashion And Cinema From Benin? And There’s More

THE PLAYLIST: An Exclusive Interview with Five-Time Beninese Grammy Award Winner Angélique Kidjo on Closing The Cultural Gap