South Africa’s premier music conference and exhibition takes on a new phase of growth to become the annual destination event for music practitioners around the world.
The Moshito Music Conference enters its 15th year and invites people who find fulfilment in the rhythm and texture of society to Newtown in September.
Chairperson of Moshito Dr Sipho Sithole said the forum was about the gathering of people who love music in its entirety.
“We will receive music practitioners from South Africa and abroad who, through music, have walked a long journey to find the meaning of society and what it has in store for them.
“This year we will use this journey through music to walk in the footsteps of the icon of our Struggle and hope to discover ourselves in the process. We hope that Moshito 2018 will reach out to the multitudes to find a purpose in life through music and in turn be the legacy for generations to come,” said Sithole.
The conference is to take place in Newtown from September 6-8. There are more than 16 music markets from around the world, with delegates from China, Brazil, Zanzibar, Uganda, US, France, Germany, Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria, Mauritius, Mozambique and the Seychelles.
MTV Base vice-president Monde Twala urged artists and attendees of the exhibition to exercise being global.
“They must think global-
ly and drive the sentiment of a global agenda for South African artists.
“As Africans we need to start looking across borders, particularly in the music space. Music really is a unifier and a culture change in terms of managing to shift the market and also young people,” said Twala.
“Moshito is one of those forums that I’ve followed for a number of years. One of the motivating factors for us as a business and industry was clearly the development area. The initiative and the platform to elevate young talent and also more important to be the legacy.”
At the official media launch held at Katzy’s in Rosebank, Sithole announced world-renowned musician Moonchild Sanelly and legendary drummer and composer Julian Bahula as the ambassadors for this year.
Under the theme “Long Walk to Music: Be the Legacy”, the conference sets a reminder of the role music played in keeping the story of Nelson Mandela alive.
Sanelly told The Star she was in Barcelona, Spain, when she found out, and the feeling of being an young ambassador was awesome.
She described the partnership as significant because it recognised the difference in music as a whole. “Moshito is one of those spaces where you know that this is one of those African forums.
“The world already accepts my music, but the people who are able to understand what I am saying, which is in isiXhosa, are the ones who are still in fear of their own power.
“It’s so amazing when you have people in Africa who pave the way for a lot of artists who have existed to be distinctly African to see and recognise that you are just different and African,” she said.
Over 270 international delegates and artists have attended Moshito in the last three years. They comprise music practitioners, musicians, bands, festival promoters, print and broadcast journalists, bloggers and the International Music Managers’ Forum.
Department of Arts and Culture representative Charles Mabaso said: “Moshito was a flagship property in the department and we commended the board and staff on their concerted effort to ensure that this music market does not only resonate within South Africa, but finds its expression and recognition with other international markets.
“With the good work Moshito has done over the last 15 years, as a department, we continue to support it.”