FOCUS Music & Innovation – Création Africa

A delegation of African professionals (cultural operators, directors of professional platforms and festivals, music industry entrepreneurs) in key positions in their respective sectors is invited to take part in this five-day professional tour.

Eighteen music industry professionals from 13 African countries were chosen by a professional committee to take part in this Focus.

To open the Focus, a professional day on music and innovation issues is organized in Paris. The program includes a presentation of the missions and programs of the Institut français, the Centre National de la Musique and Sacem. Professionals will also have the opportunity to visit places and structures at the cutting edge of musical innovation, notably in the fields of artificial intelligence and virtual reality. Finally, a cocktail reception will be held at FGO Barbara, bringing together the various players and professions in the music industry.

In partnership and co-construction with the Babel Music XP festival, the Institut français offers the delegation a three-day itinerary punctuated by artist discoveries, speed-meetings, inter-network meetings and personalized appointments on the Creation Africa stand.

A Création Africa space in the heart of the festival market at the Friche Belle de Mai will be a place for meetings, exchanges and visibility for the delegation's professionals and those invited by the cultural network.

- Theresho Selesho, CEO of MATCHBOX LIVE, South Africa - Gabin Guehi Bao, Managing Director 7 Étoiles Consulting, Ivory Coast - Inès Abichou, Artistic Director of Yelam's, Ivory Coast - Nesmonde Dokui, Producer and Artistic Agent at Artizan Agency, Ivory Coast - Ian Otchere, Founder/Music Consultant & Strategist of Priceless Music Consultancy, Ghana - Fui Tsikata, Managing Partner of TTD Media ltd/Manifestivities, Ghana - Muthoni Drummer Queen Ndonga, Founder Muthoni Music Entertainment, Kenya - Hary Dio Randrimanantsoa, Founder BSKMG, Madagascar - Ife Diran, CEO of Kreative Kollective, Nigeria - Zaeedat Fawehinmi, Lead Consultant of Zaeda Oracle Limited, Nigeria - Joseph Ian Wabwire, Executive Director of KQ Hub Africa Limited, Uganda - Guillaume Bisimwa, Director of Asbl Festival Amani, Democratic Republic of Congo - Christ Kisendo, Director of Planète Jupiter, Democratic Republic of Congo - Dominique Ngabonziza, Co-founder of Green Ferry Music Ltd, Rwanda - Maman Faye, General Manager of 4events, Senegal - Masudi Kandoro, Managing director of Uswazi Born talents & Kandoro Baba Entertainment, Tanzania - Kandenoji Njetein, Managing Director of Homeland Empire, Chad - Dick Mawuto, Director of Level Production, Togo

- Didier Toko: creator of the Douala Hiphop festival, the Douala Music & Art Festival (DOMAF) CEO of UpHighLab and director at Sens, president of the Conseil camerounais de la musique. - Tony Meffe: Director of Scène d'ébène, pilot of the Escale Bantoo program, the Escale Bantoo show, the International Women's Voices Show, trainer with Music Business Training, artist promotion and a music TV show, l'Escale Music. - Alain Ebah Essongue: coordinator of cultural activities at the Alliance Française de Garoua. Divine Nyuyki Verkijika: founder of Mutumbu, artist agency, Managing Director of the Lionz Muzik label and Lionz Academy. - Eva Ndumbe: Music Executive of Bamenda Boy Records and artist manager, - Nadia Maba: artist manager, administrator of Up High Lab, - Aminata Djibrilla: socio-cultural animator, radio host, president of the association pour la valorisation des femmes artistes, - Krotal: Cameroonian rapper, songwriter and producer, head of the Ndabott Production label.

- Fidèle Dossou, Coordinator of the Music Production Office, in charge of promoting Beninese artists for export, - Florentin Koudjou, representative of the Beninese brass band Harmony's Brass Band, - Tatiana Ahissou: “Les sœurs Teriba”, concert organizer and Kalebasse cultural center.

As a prelude to the France-Brazil 2025 cross-season season, the Cultural Service of the French Embassy in Brazil is inviting five leading professionals from the Brazilian arts scene. This professional mobility program is designed to nurture two of the season's main themes: social diversity and dialogue with Africa, and democracy and equitable globalization, which will serve as a common thread in the development of a joint program.

- Marcelo Damaso, director of the Se Rasgum festival in Belém - Gerson Dias Junior, director of the Psica festival in Belém - Flávio de Abreu, President of BM&A, Scubidu Music - Rico Manzano, coordinator of Estudio Central studio, founder of Relva Music - Itamar Dantas, SESC Pompeia.