Inspiro productions, organisers of the Lagos International Jazz Festival in partnership with SloweGanzi USA, GQ Acoustics, Zome International has announced December 28 and 29 as date for the “LAGOS GLOBAL AFROBEATS KULTURE FESTIVAL- LAGOS GAKFEST LAGOS 2022.”
This was made known in a press release sent to Qed.ng on Friday, September 30.
According to the founder and festival director Ayoola Sadare, “Lagos Is The Afrobeats Capital Of The World & since it is also one of the fastest growing music genres currently on the global scene now, its imperative that the city hosts a festival worthy to showcase that status. From a tourism point of view, people want to know where the Lagos mentioned in many Afrobeats hits is and visit same.
“For example quite recently it was part of the title of Wizkid’s global awards winning MADE IN LAGOS album. Afrobeats is to Lagos, Nigeria what Kingston, Jamaica and New Orleans, Louisiana are to Reggae and Jazz aficionados respectively and are attracted to those cities. December was chosen to kick off GAKFEST because it’s the year end and also the holiday season when a lot of travelling takes place and people would have the opportunity to attend the event.”
Sadare who had been organising the festival since 2005 added: “Although Afrobeats is also now played by many other pop musicians in other African countries, its pioneers and trailblazers are undoubtedly Nigerians with Lagos being the bastion of Afrobeats as over 80% of its proponents’ reside in the city. Starting from Lagos the music has moved to the African continent and exploded globally in places like London, the US and is rapidly spreading to other parts of the globe. GAKFEST is planned as a multi-city touring event to showcase the genre in these other cities. Our technical partners SloweGanzi USA led by GAKFEST Executive Vice Chairman Mr. Wole Akande are integral to making this happen.”
“Afrobeats artistes are fast gaining recognition and reshaping the sound and texture of pop music globally winning global awards like the Grammy, BET and others. They are also touring globally, selling out at never before done venues like the London 02, Paris Accor, Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl, New York Madison Square Garden among others. This phenomenal rise is so evident that the Grammys recently announced that the genre is being considered given a category at the influential annual musical award. Its Afrobeats Moment and we plan to also showcase it in our city!”
GAKFEST is part of a multi-city multi -sound touring music festival designed to offer visitors and residents in Lagos and other major cities like London, Paris, Amsterdam and a few US cities the world class entertainment the genre offers.
The year 2022 festival theme is ‘HARNESSING THE CREATIVE ECONOMY FOR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT & NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT’.
