Warner Music Group announced the launch of Warner Music Africa Francophone (WMAFR) today, and according to the co-director Yoann Chapalain, the new venture will “spotlight incredible talent from Francophone Africa. It aims to connect diverse sounds and regions, elevate releases for maximum success, and expand the music’s reach globally.”
The demand for French-language music is growing according to a September blog post by music streaming giant, Spotify, “Since 2019, French-language music streams have surged by 94%” on Spotify, the streaming service noted in a blog post in September.
Spotify‘s head of music content Jeremy Erlich, said “All regions of the world are embracing the richness and diversity of the French-language music scene. There’s been a sharp rise in the number of French-language music listeners on Spotify.”
This collaboration includes Warner Music Africa Francophone, Warner Music Africa, Warner Music France, and Africori–a distribution company. WMG previously acquired a majority stake in Africori in 2022.
WMAFR will be led by Chapalain and Marc-André Niang. Chapalain also serves as A&R Manager at Africori, and Niang continues as A&R director, French-speaking African repertoire at WM France.
“It’s important for us to be able to create new synergies for the development and structure of the Francophone market in Africa,” Niang said in a statement. “While the region is steeped in both culture and talent, the ecosystem faces challenges. Our team will connect creatives and help shape the environment to drive cross-cultural success.”
