With Sheriff Janko
Popular Gambian music band, Humanity Starz, recently returned home after a spectacular performance at the Visa For Music Festival (VFM) in Rabat, Morocco.
The three-day festival was the first professional market for music stakeholders in Africa and Middle-East.
Initiated in 2013, VFM stages a range of projects for stakeholders in music including conferences, documentary projections, meetings, workshops and trainings. The iniatiative is also designed to promote the identity of African music as well as serves as a connecting point between artistes and other professionals.
Mbye Bittaye, manager of Humanity Starz indicated that the band put up a spectacular concert at the festival much to the delight of the audience.
“Everybody appreciates their performances and that even prompted the organisers to invite us in the next edition,” he added.
He however saluted all those who played a part in making their trip a success.
Alieu Badara, lead vocalist of the band said that they raised the country’s flag highier at the recent international festival.
The audience, he said, appreciated every bit of their performances, thanks to their captivating and original music style.
“We will endeavor to play music that will educate and entertain the people around the globe”.
For Brahim El Mazned, Director of Visa For Music, quality in programming is a key factor in ensuring success, saying the hosting of the festival in Morocco, which is a gate to both African and the Middle-East, allows participants to take advantage of the national culture and musical landscape of that country.
Morocco, he observes, stands out among many destination when it comes to hosting big festivals involving both local international artistes.
“This event is not limited to only the musical landscape, since connections were established with a number of industries that are interested in music like film industry and the advertising sector”.
The band in recent years has carve a niche for itself in the country’s music scene, probably thanks to captivating skills.
With an international album in the works for 2018 plus multiple projects in the offing, the formidable music band without doubt is one Gambia’s best kept secret.
