Afro Nation is the world’s biggest Afrobeats festival.
Beginning very recently in 2019 and having been on a break for two years, Afro Nation is always coming back with a bang.
It was conceptualized by Obi Asika, a Nigerian entrepreneur and a music promoter Aesegun Adeos Jr.
Set in Praia da Rocha Beach in Portimão city, on the southern coast of Portugal, this festival that takes place yearly during the summer is definitely not one to miss.
Any avid afrobeats listener knows that Afro Nation is the place for this genre of music, especially as it has some of the hottest names perform every year.
The festival also plays hip-hop, R&B, dancehall, Afrohouse and amapiano and more African-led music, bringing in audiences from around the world.
Here’s everything you need to know about Afro Nation.
SMADE, whose real name is Aesegun Adeosun Jr, created Afro Nation with his business partner Obi Asika and Live Nation’s help.
With the aim to become the first ever festival to unite the African Diaspora, Afro Nation became just that.
The music celebration is now known as a festival that celebrates unity and diversity, connecting communities from different cultural backgrounds through the art of music.
Afro Nation started as a series of campus house parties
SMADE began bringing people and music together by hosting student house parties while pursuing his bachelor’s degree in London.
The parties were a hit and eventually became the ‘it’ spot in campus. Unfortunately, it prompted neighbors to call the police the night SMADE was celebrating his birthday party.
In an interview with Forbes, SMADE said he has larger ambitions than hosting small-scale parties. With a strong belief in the Afrobeat culture, he ventured into the world of artist bookings and clubbing weekends.
@afronationfestival / Facebook
The parties eventually moved to nightclubs to prevent similar situations from happening, and it was very successful. But that was not enough for this Lagos-born visionary, and so Afro Nation was born.
Afro Nation was thought to be the next Fyre festival
There was quite a bit of skepticism around Afro Nation, with people comparing it to Fyre festival, but all doubts melted away as the festival impressed its audience.
SMADE was more than prepared to manage a festival of this size, having had some experience with adversity in organization in the past when an event he planned was sold out with 2,000 more people.
In an interview with BBC, SMADE recalls how he “fasted for three days” and “prayed with a team of about 55 people.”
He said that through Afro Nation, the event promoter-turned-founder wanted to break the stereotype of having “thousands of black people in one place” and making it “incident-free.”
The festival initially expected an attendance of 5,000 people
When the first wave of tickets to Afro Nation sold out in less than 24 hours, the founder decided that it was time to triple expectations.
Four times the size that the festival was thought to be, a whopping 20,000 people made their way to Portugal for the festival’s debut.
Afro Nation’s past line-up has had some of the biggest names in entertainment
Burna Boy creating unforgettable memories at Afro Nation | @afronation / Instagram
The music festival changed the game with its beat-fueled ethos. Instead of placing bets on crowd-pleasing genres, such as EDM and hip-hop, Afro Nation paved its own path.
With names such as Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy headlining in 2019, the festival promised to be unforgettable.
Many talented black musicians who have not yet reached the mainstream are celebrated here. Afro Nation creates a space for undiscovered talent to showcase what they have to offer.
IAMDDB, Ms Dynamite, and Kranium are just some of the music heroes that took to the stage at Afro Nation.
Afro Nation celebrates women and their talents
Talented female artists such as Tems, Shenseea, Teni The Entertainer and Sho Madjozi have shared their passion for music with the audience of Afro Nation.
During an interview with Vibe, Madjozi said he hopes the festival is living proof that Black girls “are not shy or small,” adding that “this world is ours as much as anyone else’s.”
The sentiment was definitely translated into the four-day festival, as Clash Magazine reported that 86% of the attendees were women.
Snippets of Tems’ performance | @afronation / Instagram
More than just a festival, Afro Nation keeps the party going
Afro Nation offers boat and beach parties with renowned DJs performing.
Guests who purchase VIP tickets will have access to a private bar amongst other areas that are dedicated to an elevated festival experience.
The fashion at Afro Nation is reflective of the festival
Festival-goers often sport outfits that represent their country.
Through small additions of cultural accessories and larger additions such as flags of different countries, the fashion at Afro Nation became something to look forward to.
Afro Nation is a celebration of Black culture, unifying people in a way that no other festival does.
By brining together festival-goers from different backgrounds, the event allows you to dive deep into multiculturalism.
Ghana’s beaches transformed into an Afro Nation location
The biggest urban music beach festival in Europe returns to its roots, bringing the party to Ghana, Africa.
The first edition of 2019 had huge names such as 6lack, Burna Boy, Wizkid and Stonebwoy sharing their talent with enthusiastic attendees.
Although held in December, the summer mood is unchanged with Ghana having an average temperature of 30 degrees.
Views of Smade’s performance at Afro Nation 2019 in Ghana | @afronation / Instagram
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