YouTube and YouTube Music have announced the appointment of Addy Awofisayo as Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa. Awofisayo will oversee YouTube Music’s business and partnership teams in Sub-Saharan Africa, reporting to YouTube EMEA’s Head of Music.
“Music is a powerful means of expression and a tool that exports African cultures to the world’s stages,” said Addy Awofisayo, the incoming head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa. She continued to express her excitement about the new role and YouTube’s opportunities for creators and artists. Working with the YouTube Music team and contributing to the expansion of the Sub-Saharan Africa music community.”
YouTube and YouTube Music have been investing in Africa for a long time. Over the years, YouTube has played a vital role in discovering and developing African sound, exporting African music to listeners worldwide — in fact, 70 per cent of views from the 25 most-watched Sub-Saharan African artists come from outside the continent.
YouTube successfully launched YouTube Music and Premium in South Africa and Nigeria, respectively, in March 2019 and 2020, demonstrating the opportunities available in this high-growth region.
Most recently, YouTube declared its intent to support grassroots organisations in South Africa with grants, training, and mentorship through the Mzansi: Music to Heal – Music to Unite (Triple M) initiative to promote the growth of music in communities.
Prior to her appointment, Awofisayo was YouTube’s Sub-Saharan Africa Content Partnerships Manager. She worked with creators, artists, and media companies across the continent to strengthen their YouTube growth strategy. She was a driving force behind the debut of YouTube Music/Premium in Nigeria and the immensely successful Africa Day Concert headlined by Idris Elba.
Creator360 Africa, NextUp SSA, and the creator celebration live stream are all initiatives she spearheaded to support the growth of creators in Africa. Awofisayo previously worked at CBS and Microsoft Corporation before joining YouTube. She has a Master’s degree from Harvard University and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia.
