Warner Music Africa Francophone (WM AFR) has successfully hosted its first-ever songwriting camp, marking a major milestone for the region’s music industry. The groundbreaking event, dubbed Warner Music Camp Babi, took place at Villa Tahiba in Abidjan, bringing together over 20 artists, producers, and songwriters from across the continent for three days of collaboration and creativity.
The camp featured some of the industry’s most talented figures, including Black K, Ch’cco, Herc Cut The Lights, Hyce, Jeriq, Kold AF, Kouz1, Paulo Chakal, Ste Milano, and Yumbs. They were joined by an impressive lineup of invited artists such as Akim, Ayanne, Beeztrap, Dorty, G6$, Kemuel, Kiff No Beat, Mac Abel, Mr. Behi, Nikanor, Remy Baggins, Shaun, Spy Shitta, Suspect 95, Tamsir, and Yilim. This diverse gathering was designed to connect Côte d’Ivoire and the broader Francophone region with the rest of Africa’s thriving music scene.
The songwriting camp culminated in the official launch event for WM AFR, which brought together prominent figures from the music industry, including Warner Music Africa Managing Director Temi Adeniji, Africori CEO Yoel Kenan, and Warner Music France President Alain Veille. Also in attendance were key political leaders, including Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Culture and Francophonie, Madame Françoise Remarck, who expressed her ministry’s commitment to fostering innovative partnerships with WM AFR. She emphasized the importance of initiatives like this in identifying and nurturing local talent, praising the songwriting camp as a game-changing moment for Francophone music.
Marc-Andre Niang, Co-Director of Warner Music Africa Francophone, highlighted the significance of the camp in achieving WM AFR’s mission. “The blueprint for Warner Music Africa Francophone was to connect the best French-speaking talent with the rest of Africa, so I’m proud to see us do just this at our first songwriting camp. This was a truly pan-African experience and certainly the first in Francophone Africa,” he stated.
His counterpart, Co-Director Yoann Chapalain, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the event’s role in fostering collaboration across the continent. “It’s been powerful to see such a wide mix of artists join us here in Abidjan, with people flying in from all over Africa. Warner Music Africa Francophone exists not just to sign talent but to connect artists from French-speaking regions to the rest of Africa; it’s in our DNA to take a pan-African approach with all of our artists. Thank you to Alain, Temi, and Yoel for trusting our creative vision,” he added.
With French-language music gaining global traction—amassing over 83 million hours of streams in 2024 across 180 countries—the timing of this initiative couldn’t be more perfect. The Warner Music Camp Babi not only showcased the depth of talent in Francophone Africa but also strengthened the bridge between the region and the wider music world. As Francophone music continues to thrive, this camp signals a new era of collaboration and global recognition for African artists.
