The Afcon 2023 opening ceremony is set to take place on Saturday, January 13, 2024, at the Stade Olympique Alessane Ouattara in Abidjan.
In its tradition, the ceremony serves as a platform for distinguished music artists and talents to showcase themselves at the biggest football competition on the continent.
While the footballers, fans, and coaches will be concerned about making a mark at the 34th edition of the AFCON, some music stars will be there to add some colour and glamour to the whole event.
There has been massive preparation and work on the other aspect of this particular AFCON as an EP featuring various African musicians was released ahead of the start of the tournament.
In a landmark move, it is the first time that an EP will be recorded and dedicated to the AFCON. The six-track EP features several African artists such as Yemi Alade, Magic System, Didi B, Roselyne, Layo, Serge Beynaud, Kerozen, CYsoul, Vegedream, Ayanne, Kaaris, Josey, and others.
Nigeria’s Yemi Alade featured alongside Magic System and Mohammed Ramadan on the track ‘Akwaba’, which also doubles as the anthem for the tournament.
official music video and anthem of the #CAN2023 “Akwaba” 🇨🇮 featuring Magic System🇨🇮 x Yemi Aladé🇳🇬 x Mohamed Ramadan🇪🇬
Yay or nay ? Your thoughts and Opinions 👇🏿 pic.twitter.com/2vgclYF3oY
— African History & Stats (@247AfricanFacts) December 3, 2023
In this piece, we examine the five music stars who will be performing at the AFCON 2023 opening ceremony in front of a mammoth crowd as the football tournament gets underway in the West African nation.
Yemi Alade to perform at Afcon 2023 opening ceremony
Yemi Alade, 34, is a renowned Nigerian singer and is a household name in Africa. She is known for her versatile music production spanning Afro-pop, R&B, Highlife, and Dancehall genres.
She rose to prominence after winning the 2009 Peak Talent Show singing contest and has since released songs with massive receptions, including Johnny, Na Gode, and Ferrari.
Recently, Yemi Alade partnered with Ivorian popular group Magic System and Egyptian rapper Mohamed Ramadan to record the official song ‘AKWAABA’ for AFCON 2023.
They performed the official anthem for the first time during the draw in October and it is expected that they will take to the stage once again during the opening ceremony just before the opening game between Ivory Coast and Guinea Bissau.
Magic System
They are another set of individuals who will be performing during the opening ceremony of the AFCON on Saturday.
Magic System is an Ivorian musical group from Marcory district in Côte d’Ivoire. They include Asalfo, Goude, Tino, and Manadja. They founded this group in 1996.
The group have entertained audiences worldwide, including stops in Morocco, Madagascar, the U.K., and Sweden, as the band’s audiences swelled to over 25,000 at individual shows.
Magic System featured in the AFCON EP and were also handed an appearance in the official anthem for the tournament – “Akwaba”.
Mohamed Ramadan
Mohamad Ramadan is a man of many things – an actor, rapper, singer, and performer from Cairo, Egypt.
He was first known as an actor before venturing into building a rap career in 2018 by signing with Rotana. Ramadan’s success in music and acting has made him a regional star that is attracting attention abroad as well.
In 2019, he was given the AFRIMA award and crowned the most popular artist in Africa. He has over 4.65 billion YouTube channel views, over 1 million Spotify monthly listeners, and nearly 20 million Instagram followers.
Ramadan also featured in the AFCON theme song – Akwaba – and it is expected that he will be at the opening ceremony on Saturday.
Serge Beynaud
Serge Beynaud, whose real name is Guy Serge Beynaud Gnolou, was born on 19 September 1987 in Yopougon, Abidjan. He is an Ivorian singer, songwriter, and music producer, associated with styles such as Coupé-Décalé and Loko loko.
He is noted for his stylish and dandy style of dress and is one of the most noted figures in the Coupé-Décalé scene. His ethnicity can be traced to the Bété people.
He also featured on the AFCON EP and will be one of the entertainers at the opening ceremony on Saturday.
Josey
Born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Gnakrou Josée Priscille – better known as Josey – has a stylish R&B and takes sound from soul and folk to Afro-zouk and Congolese rumba music.
After a rough start, her big break came in 2012 with a runner-up finish in the TV singing competition Castel Live Opera, where she became known for her cover of Delta Groupe's “Sapiou.”
Some of her hit songs include a feature on 2Boyz's “La Vérité” in 2019 and the solo release “Espoir” in 2020.
She will definitely add more glamour to the AFCON opening ceremony and a lot of persons will be pleased to have her around.
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago
