Pandora Predicts Afropop Artists To Watch In 2023

Pandora revealed today its predictions of which emerging Afropop artists will make the greatest strides next year -- Pandora’s Afropop Artists to Watch 2023. Combining sophisticated analysis of listener data with its programmers’ insights, Pandora programmers have selected the acts they believe are destined for greatness in the coming year.

Pandora's Afropop Artists to Watch 2023

1da Banton
1da Banton has been quietly releasing quality singles for years now, but it was his album, 'Original Vibe Machine', that finally gave him the global recognition he deserved. His song, "No Wahala" went viral on TikTok, and was followed up with several global remixes, including one featuring Kizz Daniel and Tiwa Savage.

Asake
If there's one Afropop artist that ruled the clubs this past year, it's Asake. No one else has taken the elements of the South African Amapiano genre and blended them so effortlessly with Nigerian sensibilities quite like he has. The result was back-to-back hits all summer long, leading up to the success of his debut LP, which featured the viral dance hit, “Joha”. Asake’s musical talent, combined with his unique fashion sense and personality to match, has all the makings of the next Nigerian pop star!

Camidoh
Camidoh's hit song, "Sugarcane", is proof positive that Afropop audiences still long for the classic melodies and musical styles that helped popularize Afrobeats in the first place. His sound feels familiar without sounding old, mixing elements of Ghanaian highlife and uplifting Afropop. The sound is quintessential West African, and it gives us a preview of this artist's ability to tap into the soul of the Afropop sound.

Kelvyn Boy
It's hard sometimes for Ghanaian artists to get proper attention in the Nigerian-dominated Afrobeats landscape, but Kelvyn Boy has proven otherwise as he rose to the top of the Afropop food chain earlier this year with his viral hit, "Down Flat". He's since scored a remix with Tekno and Stefflon Don, and most recently dropped his latest single, “Billionaire”, proving that Ghana has plenty of star power of its own.

Magixx
The Mavins camp strikes again! As a new generation of artists make their way onto the scene, the 23-year-old Magixx seems primed to make his presence known. His debut EP, 'ATOM', highlights his range – from heart-felt to dance-oriented -- all with a unique vocal style that will help elevate him above his peers.

Moliy
Moliy's unique raspy falsetto is hard to ignore. It's the same voice that was responsible for helping Amaarae score her viral hit, "SAD GURLZ LUV MONEY". More recently, Moliy shared her debut full-length and it picks up where "SAD GURLZ" left off – a blend of trippy Afrobeats and late-night pleads and pleasures. It's a great omen of things to come.

Pheelz
For this producer-turned-singer, the journey to instant success was actually quite long and arduous. He worked with numerous artists as well as released his own EP before getting his first hit single, "Finesse" featuring BNXN. But don't get it wrong: he's no one-hit-wonder, and his subsequent releases, including the club hit "Electricity" with Davido, demonstrate the depth of his talents.

Somadina
Nigerian newcomer Somadina is an artistic force that pushes the limit of what it means to be an African musician. Her latest single, "Rolling Loud", straddles the fence between Afrobeats, Alté (Nigeria's alternative sound), and ‘00s’ DIY cyberpunk aesthetic. Her upcoming full album will feature a blend of Afropop, rock, dance and more, setting a template for the next generation of African pop.

Uncle Waffles
As Amapiano takes over the whole of Africa, as well as dance clubs in Europe and the US, there have been several global DJ ambassadors taking shape, but none quite as infectious and admired as Uncle Waffles. Her hypnotic dance routines, which she syncs perfectly to her DJ sets, are legendary and inspired South African DJs to step up their choreography game. But her rising star status was solidified when she dropped her debut EP, which included the hit, "Tanzania", and showed everyone that she has her ear to the ground and understands where the sound is going next.

Victony
There's no mistaking the smoothness of Victony's longing vocals or the depth of lyrics on his smash hit collab with Mayorkun, "Holy Father", or, more recently, his feature on Burna Boy's new album. In a short amount of time, he's managed to grab the attention of the entire Afropop scene, and simultaneously satisfy the critics with his impressive EP, 'Outlaw'. The culmination of his newfound success this past year feels like a preview for what's to come for this rising star.

Listen to the Afropop Artists To Watch 2023 Playlist on Pandora