JOHANNESBURG/PARIS (CelebrityAccess) — Warner Music announced the launch of a new venture, WM Africa Francophone (WMAFR), which will focus on France and French-speaking Sub-Saharan Africa.
WM Africa Francophone will operate as a joint venture between WM Africa, Africori, and WM France and will foster cross-cultural collaborations while connecting local and regional artists with international fans.
The new division will be helmed by by Co-Directors Marc-André Niang and Yoann Chapalain. In addition to his new duties at WMFAR, Chapalain will continuing his current role as A&R Manager at Africori, supporting artists such as Kamo Mphela, Kelvin Momo, Makhadzi, and TitoM & Yuppe
Chapalain will Co-Director role at WMAFR while continuing his current role as A&R Manager at Africori, supporting artists such as Kamo Mphela, Kelvin Momo, Makhadzi, and TitoM & Yuppe while Niang will combine his Co-Director role at WMAFR with his current role as A&R Director, French Speaking African Repertoire at Warner Music France.
“I’m excited about the new venture, which will spotlight incredible talent from Francophone Africa. It aims to connect diverse sounds and regions, elevate releases for maximum success, and expand the music’s reach globally. I’m grateful to Alfonso Perez Soto and Yoel Kenan for pushing this initiative forward,” stated Yoann Chapalain.
“It’s important for us to be able to create new synergies for the development and structure of the Francophone market in Africa. While the region is steeped in both culture and talent, the ecosystem faces challenges. Our team will connect creatives and help shape the environment to drive cross-cultural success. I want to thank Alain Veille, Alassane Konaté, and Temi Adeniji for giving us this opportunity to take French-speaking African artists to the world stage,” added Marc Andre Niang.
