So you want to know who the best African singers are? The African continent has given birth to some of the most talented musicians that the world has ever seen.
Musicians from the different countries have created different styles of music and have brought existing genres to the forefront.
These musicians have worked equally hard to achieve international recognition and to improve the lives of their brothers and sisters.
List of the best African singers
Here is a list of Africa’s most influential and successful musicians.
D’Banj
Nationality: Nigerian
D’Banj is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and harmonica maestro. His most popular hit, Oliver Twist, propelled him to the top of many African and UK Charts. The Nigerian artiste continues to collect awards with his latest being MTV Africa 2015 Evolution Music Awards.
Fally Ipupa
Nationality: Congolese
Congolese singer, songwriter, guitarist, dancer, Fally Ipupa or The Great One, is currently signed on to the largest record company in the world, Universal (Label) AZ. His first solo album Droit Chemin was certified gold for having sold over 100,000 records.
Gito Baloi
Mozambique-born Gito Baloi was an African musician known for his soulful voice and dexterity with the bass guitar. He began his career touring with the group Pongolo.
He later formed a band called Tananas with three other musicians. The band became known globally and they traveled the world playing at concerts. Baloi collaborated with several artists to release albums and singles.
The album Beyond was posthumously released in 2008. In 1986 he received a South African Music Award for best contemporary jazz.
Zahara
Nationality: South African
Powerhouse Bulelwa Mkutukana, better known as Zahara, shook the foundations of the South African music scene when she released her first album titled Loliwe.
Loliwe sold out within three days and in nineteen days was certified double platinum by the South African Recording Industry. At the 2012 South African Music Awards, Zahara copped eight wards Since then she has produced four more albums and has been the recipient of several other awards.
K’naan
Keinan Abdi Warsame, K’naan, is a Somali-born Canadian singer, poet, and songwriter. He and his parents escaped to North America when K’naan came close to death one too many times during the civil war that was taking place at that time.
K’naan received global attention when his song Wavin’ Flag was used in Coco-Cola’s advertisement for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He uses his fame to bring attention to the plights of Somalis and the conditions that exist in South Africa
Oumou Sangare
Nationality: Malian
Grammy-award winning Oumou Sangare used her voice as a child to earn money for her family. In nursery school, she was performing for 6000 people at the Omnisport Stadium.
At sixteen, she toured with the percussion group Djoliba. At the age of twenty-one, Sangare had already produced an album with one of the most famous musicians in Mali, Amadou Ba Guindo. The album, Moussoulou, was well received with over 200,000 copies sold.
