Kenya’s bid to host Africa’s Recording Academy headquarters has advanced after senior officials from the organisation held talks with President William Ruto and other stakeholders in Nairobi.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

Officials from the Recording Academy, the organisation behind the Grammy Awards, spent the past week meeting Kenyan artists, government officials and other industry stakeholders as part of a creative economy collaboration with the United States Embassy.

On Friday, September 11, Recording Academy President Panos Panay said several milestones had been achieved in efforts to strengthen the place of African music in the global music industry.

He said developments such as the introduction of the Best African Music Performance category and the American Music Mentorship Program, established in partnership with the U.S. State Department, represent key steps towards the Academy’s expansion into Africa.

📌 What You Need to Know

Kenyan artists are now expected to travel to the U.S. next month to expose them to the international music business.

The programme is intended to give the artists an opportunity to engage with the structures and networks that shape the global music industry.

Kenya is competing with Nigeria and South Africa to host the proposed African headquarters of the organisation behind the Grammy Awards.

Ruto previously linked Kenya’s bid to wider efforts to grow the country’s creative economy and attract studios, record labels, digital platforms and investors.

He revealed in December 2024 that Kenya had already paid Ksh500 million to the Academy to bring the awards to the country, although specific details and timelines for the plan have yet to be finalised.

Panay said the Academy was also working to increase African representation among its membership, which would give more artists and industry professionals a voice in the Grammy voting process.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke