Why Luxury Can't Get Enough Of African Musicians
The allure of African musicians is only getting stronger. As the music industry undergoes a refresh, brands must tap into this cultural shift or risk missing out on commercial and financial gain.
On Thursday evening, Nigerian superstar and Grammy Award-winner Tems had everyone on the edge of their seats as she delivered a majestic rendition of her hit single, Higher, accompanied by a live orchestra. The captivating performance did not take place at an award ceremony or ‘secret’ concert. It was, in fact, a special showcase for Aston Martin’s 2025 livery unveiling at the O2 Arena.
Nearly 1.5 million viewers (myself included) who watched Aston Martin’s TikTok video of the performance were shocked and pleasantly surprised to see Tems walk onto the stage, with the AMR25 car slowly tracing behind. Comments on the company’s TikTok and Instagram posts read: ‘“Floored!! [fire emoji]”, “No way they got Tems!”, “Gagged!!!!” and “Let’s be real, this was the best reveal and Tems absolutely nailed it performance.”
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I’m not going to pretend that I’ve watched a car unveiling before, but I found myself watching the 40-second clip over and over again, as if the strategy behind this partnership would suddenly appear on the screen. The fact that they had selected an incredibly talented musician from Lagos, Nigeria to be the soundtrack of this unveiling piqued my interest — perhaps a signifier of Formula One’s growing female fanbase and a play to bring new audiences to the sport. And as this comment may suggest, the move could pay off: “After seeing this intro [I’m] gonna properly get into watching these races.”
For Tems, this was a fearless foray into a new sector. “It was a super unique moment,” Tems said in a separate behind-the-scene interview posted on Instagram. “I don’t think I’ve ever had such a moment like this in this kind of space.”
While much has been said about the proliferation of music genres from the continent, namely Afrobeats and Amapiano, heavyweight brands can no longer ignore the impact and popularity of African talent — irrespective of the industry. Their reach is able to transcend borders, and the response to Tems’ Aston Martin performance underscores that. Brands are finally acknowledging the influence of African musicians, and they’re slowly seeing the value in partnering with them.
Beyond the world of motorsports, it’s been a triumphant first quarter for African musicians — many of whom are cosying up to some of the biggest and buzziest companies in fashion right now. Just last week, British Vogue unveiled its March 2025 cover featuring the South African pop star Tyla. This isn’t the first time she’s appeared on the cover of a major fashion magazine: in June last year, she appeared on the cover of Dazed; and in October, she was the cover star of ELLE US. However, this cover feels different. Vogue is still somewhat of a major force (and gatekeeper) of the fashion industry, with a history of 133 years in print media. Its impact and ability to control what — or who — is in vogue is undeniable (pun intended). And choosing the right talent to be the face of the magazine each month is not a thoughtless decision.
Shot by Rafael Pavarotti and styled by George Krakowiak, the stylist behind Bad Bunny’s Vogue Italia’s Cover, who has worked with brands such as Acne Studios, Maison Margiela and Byredo. This moment only further demonstrates that Tyla is entering a new era (a high fashion era?). On the cover, she wears a 3D-printed bustier top and spandex legging boots by Balenciaga. Inside, the editorial shoot also features luxury brands including Prada, Jil Sander, Stella McCartney, Gucci, and several other designers. Her trajectory reminds me of Rihanna’s early days when the industry was excited by her fresh talent and her personal style was solidifying. Or maybe because she was the same age as Rihanna when she featured on the cover of US Vogue’s April 2011 issue.
This cover isn’t only a win for the 23-year-old music sensation. It’s a win for South Africa, too. As the Johannesburg-based designer Thebe Magugu so aptly put it: “Tyla represents South Africa’s cultural renaissance…She unapologetically showcases – even boasts – about our culture,” he told British Vogue. “It’s a beautiful reminder to use where you are from as fuel to push you further, not something to hide so you can assimilate.” As her international appeal skyrockets, she’s also bringing South African designers into the limelight, wearing names such as Thebe Magugu.
The last time I wrote about African musicians attending Paris Fashion Week, it was largely thanks to Pharrell Williams at Louis Vuitton Men’s, who invited several African musicians to attend and perform at his showcase in September. However, this season it was refreshing to see other brands invite African talent to their shows: from Tems, Tyla, and Uncle Waffles at the Jacquemus show to Davido and Omah Lay at the Amiri show. Of course, Williams at Louis Vuitton Men’s continues to support African talent, this season Mr Eazi and Temi Otedola were also spotted sitting front row.
Over in London, Ayra Starr’s fashion play continues. On Friday, the Nigerian music sensation, made her London Fashion Week runway debut for Di Petsa’s Autumn/Winter 2025 collection — a tie-up I never saw coming, but further highlights the growing appeal of African musicians in the international market. This also comes off the back of a New Balance campaign, which saw Ayra Starr feature alongside American musician, Jaden Smith.
What’s Changed
Back in 2023, I remember speaking to a handful of experts and critics who, like me, could see the growing popularity of Afrobeats and Amapiano. The convergence between music and fashion was a topic I covered a few times at Vogue Business. While African brands and a handful of emerging international players were dressing African talent, I was sure luxury brands were also watching closely. Fast forward to today, we’re seeing industry giants dress musicians for fashion shows, create custom looks for their concerts (on and off the continent), and even featuring them in their latest campaigns.
Streaming numbers are also skyrocketing. Last week, Tems made history by becoming the first African female artist to surpass one billion Spotify streams with her hit single Wait For U with Drake and Future, according to Sony Music Entertainment. Her album Born in the Wild garnered over 629 million streams worldwide – again, highlighting that incredible international appeal. Tyla also hit one billion streams on Spotify with Water, becoming the first African solo artist to reach that milestone. Other African music giants such as Wizkid, Asake, Rema, Burna Boy and Davido continue to dominate streaming platforms, with several songs going viral on TikTok.
These record streaming numbers only signal to brands that these artists have immense global appeal. Should they choose to ignore their rising popularity, they’ll end up watching their competitors — and those more daring — benefit from these collaborations. That may look like fans of the musician choosing to spend their cash at affiliated brands, or the general sentiment around a luxury label improving among aspirational consumers.
Last year, the music industry experienced a major shift when the Grammy Awards introduced a new category, Best African Music Performance, in a bid to recognise the indisputable popularity of music from the continent – Tyla won the first-ever Grammy Award for the category. This year Tems took home the award for her hit Love Me Jeje. Ayra Starr is also snapping up awards: last week she became the first woman to win Best African Music Act at the Mobo Awards, the annual British award ceremony for “music of Black origin”.
For brands, the strategy should mirror the relationship they have with other international artists such as K-pop superstars BlackPink or China’s boyband TNT. If brands get the timing of these partnerships right, they not only benefit from the affiliation of the popular musician or band, they’re able to tap into the artists’ likely very loyal and global fanbase – a move that could help brands tap into new markets with minimal risk or cost. As I mentioned in a previous newsletter, Hugo Boss named Burna Boy as a brand ambassador for two reasons: 1) they believed he “authentically” represented the brand message, and 2) they want to work with talent who have a high relevance in the media right now and meaningful followership on their personal social media channels, and that is true for Burna Boy.
This is a very exciting time for African musicians and the wider fashion and luxury industries. Genuine connections and collaborations will make these partnerships a huge success, both commercially and financially. It’s not always about choosing the biggest name in the African music space right now, the most successful tie-ups feel authentic to the end consumer and the artists’ fanbase. Because one thing about a fandom, they’re willing to ride all the way for their favourite celebrity.
Thank you for reading. Let me know your thoughts on luxury brands finally recognising the impact on African talent.
And, whoever on the Aston Martin team pitched Tems, please come to the front and collect your flowers. See you on Wednesday.
Another fantastic and informative read . Bravo
It’s honestly about time! But this makes me wonder about African brands and how they can strengthen their collaborations with musicians as a way to also tap into the global market bet it through ambassadorship, shows, editorials or endorsements.
I’d also love to know your thoughts on WizKids ‘Kese’ video 😁
I think it plays into this idea of the inevitable merging of music and fashion that I’ve mentioned above.