By Dawda M. Jallow
The Gambia has launched KORA MUSIC, a homegrown music streaming and digital marketplace platform aimed at supporting local artists and strengthening the country’s music industry.
The platform was launched Thursday at the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) Hall in Pipeline, bringing together Gambian musicians, producers, DJs and young content creators.
Speaking at the launch, Sanna B. Jarjue, Director of Literature, Performing and Fine Arts at the NCAC, described KORA MUSIC as more than a music application, saying it represents a new platform for promoting Gambian creativity.
“We launch not just an app but a stage, a studio, and a movement,” he said.
Mr. Jarjue said each generation has its own instrument, noting that while previous generations relied on the drum and radio, the current generation has the mobile phone.
“And today, we give that phone a beat of its own,” he added.
He said KORA MUSIC was built around culture and peace, noting that Gambian music has evolved from the kora traditions of griots to mbalax and the Afro-fusion styles embraced by young Gambian artists.
“Our music is our memory,” he said, adding that music has also played an important role in bringing people together.
Mr. Jarjue said the main challenge facing Gambian artists was not a lack of talent but limited opportunities to benefit financially from their creative work.
“Talent is not our problem, but opportunity is,” he said, adding that the platform was intended to help turn listeners into supporters and music streams into income.
KORA MUSIC is a mobile music streaming and digital marketplace platform developed specifically for the Gambian music industry. It allows artists to upload, manage, promote and sell their music directly to listeners.
The platform provides artists with tools to manage their profiles, music catalogues, earnings and withdrawal requests through a dedicated artist dashboard.
It also offers music streaming, digital music sales, artist monetisation and content management services on iOS and Android devices.
In his keynote address, Anthony Mendy, co-founder of KORA MUSIC, said the launch represented the realisation of a long-standing ambition to establish a homegrown digital music platform for Gambian artists.
“Today that dream becomes a reality with the unveiling of KORA MUSIC — our very own digital music streaming platform,” he said.
Mr. Mendy said the platform was designed to address challenges faced by Gambian artists in distributing their music and generating income from digital platforms.
He said KORA MUSIC would give artists greater control over their intellectual property while providing a digital platform tailored to the Gambian music industry.
The platform, he added, would also give Gambian music a national digital identity and enable artists to build their presence among local and international audiences.
Addressing young and emerging artists, Mr. Mendy said KORA MUSIC was intended to create opportunities for musicians who have struggled to distribute their work and earn revenue from online streams.
“I know the pain of recording a beautiful song and not knowing how to distribute it. I know the frustration of getting thousands of plays online but nothing to show for it in your account. That struggle ends today,” he said.
He urged Gambian artists, including established and emerging musicians, to register with the NCAC and create accounts on KORA MUSIC.
He also encouraged artists to collaborate rather than compete, urging them to upload their catalogues and use the platform to promote Gambian music.
Gambian artist Bahram Cham welcomed the initiative and encouraged emerging musicians to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the platform.
He commended the NCAC for supporting the initiative but called for stronger policies to protect artists’ digital assets, increased funding for creative initiatives and continued support for Gambian musicians.
KORA MUSIC allows users to discover artists, stream songs and albums, purchase music, create playlists and listen offline to purchased content.
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