Forget your resolutions and start the year by committing to one thing only: our primer of the artists who are making 2019 their year. Spanning multiple disciplines, these African taste makers, innovators and entertainers have all got next and its our pleasure to give you a taste of why 2019 is something promising.
Black Girls Glow
If the last year and half has taught us anything it’s that representation matters and making more room in entertainment for everyone’s voices is a matter of urgency. Taking it upon themselves to change the current cultural landscape is the all female Ghanaian collective, Black Girls Glow. The collective is made up of poets and musicians and also hosts a residency for the development of up and coming talent. With two albums under their belt – Mothers Of Heirs and HERmony – Black Girl Glow have been raising their profile and creating a model for what a future of inclusive in the arts should look like. Visit Black Girls Glow.
Wavy TheCreator
Photographer turned vocalist, Wavy TheCreator has been making intermittent appearances on our radar for some time now, but seems it like 2019 is set to be breakout season for the Nigerian star. Her soft spoken delivery will undoubtedly earn comparisons to The Internet‘s Syd the Kid, but where Syd’s style, both visually and musically, tends to be more understated, Wavy is bold in all her artistic executions. If you missed her accompanying Wizkid, Davido and J Hus of Skepta‘s BBK (Boy Better Know) Homecoming event in the first half of 2018, then start the journey in fandom with her latest single below.
Dada Khanyisa
Cape Town based Joburg bread artist Dada Khanyisa is a fan favourite of everyone who encounters her sculptured canvases and re-purposed everyday objects. Expertly straddling the intersection between accessibility, beauty and genuine social commentary, Dada’s work has received pride of place in a number of solo and group exhibitions at home and abroad. A household name within Cape Town’s artistic community Dada Khanyisa is set for wider recognition as 2019 unfolds.
Katya Abedian
Filmmaker and photographer, Katya Abedian, has proved herself a powerhouse talent with her acclaimed debut, the short film, Skin Diver. The short film, which she wrote and directed has made the rounds at a number of film festivals and solidifies her as a talent to watch. Building on her already impressive photographic projects which include the series’ The Light That Lives Within and Internet Friends – all shot with compassionate eye – bring a tenderness and individualism to her work. If the past has been anything to go by 2019 is going to be an exceptional year for this young artist.
