By John Owoo
(In Rabat – Morocco)
Visa for Music Festival 2022 opened last week with magical concerts by three dynamic bands and musicians – Fanie Fayar (DR Congo), Demi Portion (Morocco / France) and the Cosmic Carnival (Morocco / Holland) – at the King Mohammed V National Theatre in the Moroccan capital Rabat.
In a brief speech, the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid expressed his optimism for the future of the festival following the high interest exhibited by musicians and other stakeholders following the Covid 19 pandemic and its attendant lookdowns and restrictions.
Festival director, Brahim El Mazned revealed that the 9th edition attracted participants from over seventy countries including thirty from the African continent adding that the objective of the festival has always been to contribute to the structuring of the music industry in Africa and the Middle East, while enhancing its global influence.
The festival’s lineup and topics for discussion is a testament to the traction Rabat holds for musicians, promoters, producers and academics who are afforded the opportunity to engage, collaborate, network and above all participate in a celebration of musical and cultural diversity.
With groups such as Little Kesho (Rwanda), Beb Diwan (Tunisia), Zef (Lebanon), Rasha Nahas (Palestine / Germany), Pamela Badjogo (Gabon / France), Mr. Leo (Cameroon) Kwame Yeboah (Ghana / UK), Julia Colom (Spain) and Anss Oublaid (Morocco), the party literally never stopped as magnetic performances and after parties rocked the chilly nights in Rabat.
Others bands that mesmerized crowds on the various stages are Tenin Diawara (Guinea) and Odreii (Canada / Jamaica), Amara Quartet (Portugal), Abir El Abed (Morocco), Saintrick (Congo / Senegal), Wood Sound (Benin) and Tenin Diawara (Guinea), Pamela Badjogo (Gabon / France) and Ans T-Crazy (Guinea).
Undeniably, one could sense the sudden realization of witnessing live music in the flesh again resulting in smiles that rippled throughout the crowds as hands and feet moved with upbeat rhythms, beats and voices that soared through the night air like sparrows in flight.
Ultimately, live music audiences were excited to witness vigorous performances of recent artistic creations while interacting with diverse personalities and a host of spirited and joyous musicians who were ever ready to entertain and amuse.
Visa for Music aims at galvanizing the cultural and creative industries of the concerned region in order to stimulate their economies while providing platforms for musicians to showcase the artistic creations and the stimulation of intellectual dialogues.
It was organized by the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, Atlas Azawan, Anya, Hiba Foundation and Rabat Capitale de la Culture with sponsorship from InDrive, Institut Français, Embassy of France, La Francophonie, SACEM and Orange Foundation.
Pictures – Courtesy of Visa for Music
