Tanzanian music star, Juma Jux, has described his victory at the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) as career-defining experience.
Speaking at a Media and Stakeholders’ Parley hosted by AFRIMA’s International Committee, in the East African country recently, Juma said: “Winning AFRIMA changed a lot for me. People who never spoke to me before now reach out. Being on a stage watched in over 84 countries gives you a new level of visibility and responsibility.”
The winner of East African Artiste of the Year award (Male) called for stronger partnerships between platforms like AFRIMA and government agencies in Tanzania.
“When institutions work hand-in-hand with platforms like AFRIMA, artistes benefit more through exposure, training and knowledge sharing,” he added.
The conference brought together musicians, regulators, music executives and the media to examine opportunities created by the awards and how East Africa can better harness them.
Also speaking at the event held at Urban by City Blue Hotel, Dar es Salam, Tanzanian music director, Folex, who won Best Music Video of the Year for Juma Jux’s Ololufemi, said the AFRIMA platform is a major driver of global visibility for African creatives.
He explained further that the Lagos experience opened doors to new networks and learning opportunities. “Being nominated alongside international names like Pink and TG Omori and then winning the award was life-changing for me. It showed that East Africans could compete and win at the highest level. This award validates the work of music video directors in Tanzania and brings more confidence to our creative industry,” Folex stated.
AFRIMA’s Associate Producer, Victoria Nkong, said the awards had grown beyond a celebration of talent to become a strong development platform for African creatives.
“AFRIMA is designed to build an ecosystem for African music,” she shared. “Beyond the trophies, we focus on talent promotion, industry development and creating pathways that help African artistes move from local recognition to global visibility.”
Nkong added that the engagement in Tanzania was important for deepening collaboration with government institutions and industry stakeholders.
“Tanzania and East Africa have rich musical identities. AFRIMA is committed to working closely with institutions and creatives here to ensure that their music and talent are well represented on the global stage,” she said.
Also commenting, Selemani Mabisso, Acting Assistant Director of Music Department at National Arts Council of Tanzania, BASATA, reaffirmed the council’s willingness to partner with AFRIMA and other international bodies.
“BASATA is open to collaborations that will help grow and strengthen Tanzania’s music industry,” he noted. “We are ready to support initiatives that will position our creatives competitively on the global stage.”