Cape Verde Music Festival in Photos

The island nation of Cape Verde holds music and musicians in high esteem, with the country’s most legendary singer, Cesaria Evora, featured on the second highest-value bill at 2,000 Cape Verdean escudos or 20 USD. This appreciation for music was showcased at the annual Atlantic Music Expo festival in April, where around 120 industry professionals from producers to festival directors attended. The festival, now in its ninth year, brought together performers from various countries in Africa and Europe, with many hoping to advance their careers in an increasingly digital landscape. Local stars such as Joceline Medina and Nigerian blues musician Jessica Bongos performed on outdoor stages, while Slovakian band Varkocs had the crowd dancing to traditional acoustic Slavic instruments. AME Director August Veiga believes that the global popularity of genres like Afrobeats has sparked interest in African music, leading to potential business opportunities for African artists. He also suggests that improving infrastructure and fostering partnerships across the continent could reduce costs and increase the number of events.