The seventh edition of the Music In Africa Conference for Collaborations Exchange and Showcases (ACCES) will be hosted in Kigali, Rwanda from November 14 to 16.
Every year a different African city hosts the pan-African music trade show which offers a platform for industry professionals from across Africa and around the globe to connect, collaborate and experience performances from emerging and established artists.
Rising Afro-Pop performer Jordan Moozy is among the more than eighty performers from over fifty countries announced by The Music In Africa Foundation to showcase their craft at the prestigious Access Music Festival.
Experimental and afro-electronic music combo Bantu Spaceship is also part of the lineup. Standard Style reporter Khumbulani Muleya (KM) caught up with the explosively talented artist.
Below are excerpts from the interview.
KM: Hi Jordan, congratulations on being selected for the Access Music Festival. How does it feel to be mentioned in this extraordinary lineup of diverse artists from Africa?
JM: I am grateful to have been deemed worthy of this opportunity. My team and I look forward to rocking out in Kigali for the first time. We aim to give our all and experience all that the city has to offer if it would be ever so generous as to grant us the same in return.
KM: What are your thoughts on the importance of festivals like ACCES in shaping the African music industry's future?
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JM: Africa is a birthplace and home to a large community of talented souls yearning for platforms such as Acces to pave the way to greater creative ecosystems and institutions that challenge creatives to bloom into the best versions of themselves to succeed in what is not exactly the easiest of industries to thrive in. I believe they serve as custodians to our blooming generations and serve as a guiding hand.
KM: You have worked with the skilled composer and producer Mpho Pholo and other producers such as Jeremiah Mutsakani (Spirit Fingers). What have you learned from these collaborations and how do they continue to shape your music?
JM: I tend to attract geniuses and these two gentlemen are nothing short of that. Their level of skill, knowledge and discipline in their craft is exceptional and I couldn’t take for granted being in the shoes that I currently fill.
There is so much to learn, which is daunting but exciting. I could say making music is like making love, you have to be in sync on a spiritual level. There is a lot of trust involved as it stems from the spirit and soul, so having people smarter than you with whom you share the same frequency makes it feel effortless.
KM: You have done well in Botswana. How has your experience been living and creating music in that country. Has it influenced your sound one way or the other and how would you describe the creative landscape, are there any unique challenges or opportunities that you have encountered?
JM: I was privileged to grow up there as it taught me a myriad of life lessons that are specific to the path I am destined for. My influences are global and limitless, they don’t stem from one place but Botswana has definitely contributed in its special way to the kind of music I make. Setswana is a beautiful language that I gracefully add a hint of in my lyrics from time to time and I am humbled to have begun my journey there and I am ever more appreciative of it being the birthplace of my fans who have been the foundation that held me up since I first started and who have always been the wind beneath my wings that lifted me, my North Star in uncharted waters.
My goal has always been to conquer the world so it was inevitable that it would become small for me as it is an industry still finding its way in contrast to much larger industries that have way more to learn and offer.
KM: What are your thoughts on the support systems in place for creatives in Botswana, such as resources, funding, or platforms for showcasing work?
JM: I choose to have faith in the support systems that exist within our small country, acknowledging that they operate within the limitations of their capacity. Given the constraints of our nation's size and population, I recognise that there are only so many resources available to foster growth and development.
Moreover, when artistic expression ventures beyond the familiar genres or norms that our country is accustomed to, it often falls into a niche market that, while passionate, may not be sustainable in the long term. This is the harsh reality we must confront with clarity and compassion, even as we strive to push boundaries and challenge the status quo.
KM: In April you performed in Harare as part of your homecoming efforts. Can you share your plans and aspirations for your music in Zimbabwe?
JM: My vision for my music in Zimbabwe and beyond is to kindle a beacon of hope that illuminates the lives of all who encounter it. I hope for my art to be a constant source of solace, a gentle reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is always a glimmer of light to urge us forward. As people navigate the complexities of their daily existence, searching for meaning and purpose, I hope that my music will be a steady companion, a reassuring embrace that uplifts and inspires.
April was merely a whispered promise that hinted at the tempest of creativity that lies within us. My team at Point Black Africa and I are poised to pour every ounce of our being into the music until we are drained of everything but the joy, love and hope that we have shared with the world for we know that the power of music lies not in its ability to merely entertain, but to transform, to heal and to awaken the very essence of our humanity.
