Warner Music Africa (formerly Warner Music South Africa) is a music corporation of the global record label
Warner Music Group, founded on 5 December 2013.
with its South Africa arm managing artist development, marketing, and distribution for Warner Music artists in Africa, with its corporate headquarters located in 1 Saxon Rd, Hyde Park, Sandton, 2196,
Johannesburg, South Africa.
Overview
Warner Music South Africa was founded on 5 December 2013, following the buyout of
Gallo Records
Gallo Record Company is the largest (and oldest independent) record label in South Africa. It is based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and is owned by Arena Holdings. The current Gallo Record Company is a hybrid of two South African record label ...
share of the joint venture Warner Music Gallo Africa as a division of
Warner Music Group. Following the launching of the imprint, WMG appoints the former Warner Music Gallo Africa general manager Tracy Fraser,
as the managing director of Warner Music South Africa. Tracy participated in the signing of Josh Kempen,
,
Mango Groove
Mango Groove is an 11-piece South African Afropop band whose music fuses pop and township music—especially marabi and kwela.
Since their foundation in 1984, the band has released six studio albums and numerous singles. Their most recent a ...
,
Janie Bay
Janie Bay is a South African singer-songwriter from the Helderberg area of Cape Town. She is currently signed to Warner Music South Africa.
Career
Janie Bay began her musical career by self-releasing the album ''I Remember'' in 2011. The recor ...
, Dr Bone,
Zahara, Julanie J, Masandi, Faith K,
CKay, and
Diamond Platnumz, with a 360 partnership deal between
WMG, and
WCB Wasafi.
Tracy stepped down from her position in 2021.
On 22 March 2021, Temi Adeniji was appointed by
WMG with the combined role of managing director of Warner Music South Africa and SVP, Strategy, of Sub-Saharan Africa. Temi participated in the signing of Kiddo CSA,
Sizwe Alakine, and
Rouge. On 16 September 2021, Temi participated in the buying of Coleske, one of South Africa largest independent label. Prior to May 2022, Warner Music South Africa began operating as Warner Music Africa. The news was broken by Temi Adeniji, at an exclusive launch held on 11 May 2022 at Warner Music offices in Hyde Park. On 23 June 2022, Warner Music Africa launched a brand strategy division.
The brand strategy division of Warner Music Africa was led by the entertainment lawyer Thembi Mpungose-Niklas,
who was appointed. Thembi is to report directly to WMA managing director and senior vice-president of special projects in sub-Saharan Africa Temi Adeniji.
On 5th July 2022,
Warner Music Group, Blavatnik Family Foundation, and Social Justice Fund announce the launch of the SJF Repertoire Fund, an eight-year $10M initiative that allows WMG employees in participating regions to get involved, making Warner Music Africa, one of its team to receive $1M to be disbursed in Sub-Saharan Africa, by nominating local organizations for grants from $5,000-$15,000 USD.
Warner Music Africa announced its first set of SJF Repertoire Fund grantee partners for Sub-Saharan Africa, would include organizations across Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.
On the same day, Warner Music Africa approved grants to the following African organizations, including
African Leadership Academy
The African Leadership Academy (ALA) is an educational institution located in the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa, for students between the ages of 16 to 19 years old, with current alumni coming from 46 countries.
Founded in 2004 by ...
(South Africa), African Digital Media Institute (Kenya), AgroEknor Farmers Education & Empowerment Program (Nigeria), ArtNg (Nigeria), Edugrant (Nigeria), Fair Justice Initiative (Ghana), Kids Haven (South Africa), Rele Arts Foundation (Nigeria), The Sarz Academy Academy Foundation (Nigeria), The Tag Foundation (South Africa), The Tomorrow Trust (South Africa),
Zoma Museum
The Zoma Museum, formerly known as the Zoma Contemporary Art Center (ZCAC), is an environmentally conscious artist in residency project with locations in Addis Ababa and Harla, a historical village near Dire Dawa in Ethiopia. Due to its links and c ...
(Ethiopia), and WeThinkCode_ (South Africa).
Warner Music Gallo Africa
In 2006, Johnnic Communications (Gallo's parent company, which changed its name to Avusa in November 2007) entered a joint venture with the South African division of
Warner Music Group and established Warner Music Gallo Africa. The
Gallo Record Company's entire music archive digitally available for the first time. These include rare pressings as well as classic hits by artists such as
Ladysmith Black Mambazo,
Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens,
Miriam Makeba,
Hugh Masekela,
Letta Mbulu,
Spokes Mashiyane,
Lucky Dube
Lucky Philip Dube (pronounced ''duu-beh'';
luckydubemusic.com, Retrieved 19 October 2007
,
Yvonne Chaka Chaka
Yvonne Chaka Chaka (born Yvonne Machaka on 18 March 1965) is a South African singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur, humanitarian and teacher. Dubbed the "Princess of Africa" (a name she received after a 1990 tour), Chaka Chaka has been at t ...
and others. The joint venture ended in December 2013.
Partnerships
Flume
On 22 August 2019, WM South Africa announce a partnership deal with Flume, a digital marketing agency.
WCB Wasafi
On 18 May 2022,
Warner Music Group announced a new 360 partnership deal with
Diamond Platnumz and his leading independent record label
WCB Wasafi.
The new deal will see
WCB Wasafi incorporated into Warner Music South Africa and Ziiki Media.
Managing directors
*Tracy Fraser
*Temi Adeniji
Artists
*Josh Kempen
*
Locnville
*
Janie Bay
Janie Bay is a South African singer-songwriter from the Helderberg area of Cape Town. She is currently signed to Warner Music South Africa.
Career
Janie Bay began her musical career by self-releasing the album ''I Remember'' in 2011. The recor ...
*
Mango Groove
Mango Groove is an 11-piece South African Afropop band whose music fuses pop and township music—especially marabi and kwela.
Since their foundation in 1984, the band has released six studio albums and numerous singles. Their most recent a ...
*Dr Bone
*
Zahara
*Julanie J
*Masandi
*Faith K
*
CKay
*
Diamond Platnumz
*Kiddo CSA
*
Rouge
*
Sizwe Alakine
*
Superstar Ace
A superstar is someone who has great popular appeal and is widely known, prominent, or successful in their field. Celebrities referred to as "superstars" may include individuals who work as actors, musicians, athletes, and other media-based profe ...
*
Ash
*
Mvzzle
Gift Selaelo Morukhuladi (born 11 November 1994), professionally known as Mvzzle is a South African DJ, singer-songwriter, and producer. He is famous for producing the single "Umlilo" by DJ Zinhle.
Personal life
Born Gift S. Morukhuladi, in ...
*
pH Raw X
In chemistry, pH (), historically denoting "potential of hydrogen" (or "power of hydrogen"), is a scale used to specify the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Acidic solutions (solutions with higher concentrations of ions) are mea ...
*BigStar Johnson
*Zandie Khumalo
*CampMasters
Selected discography
Singles, Albums and Eps, released through Warner Music Africa:
Singles
References
{{reflist
Record label distributors
2013 establishments in South Africa
Warner Music labels
Warner Music Group