Somerset, England. The night air was thick like pepper soup on a wet Lagos evening.
Afrobeats artist, Burna Boy
Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage shimmered underneath a confetti of colours, and the gang was already transferring like their ancestors’ spirits had simply entered them.
Then, a voice sliced by way of the noise, deep and assured, “Are you prepared for some Afro magic tonight?” In that cut up second, historical past took a deep breath and smiled.
Out comes Burna Boy, carrying all of Africa’s pleasure. For that second, the entire universe was drumming on the identical heartbeat: the African heartbeat.
From Highlife to Heavyweight
To grasp this international takeover, let’s rewind.
When West Africa was grooving to highlife and the insurgent sound of Afrobeat, Fela Kuti was the unique chief priest of vibes, giving the area a soundtrack for protest and social gathering, multi function breath.
His saxophone was a weapon, his lyrics have been gunpowder. He left West Africa with a blueprint: keep loud, keep daring, keep true.
Then got here the brand new warriors. D’banj along with his koko swag, P-Sq. making us imagine love may actually be squared, 2Baba reminding us that irrespective of the place you go, you’ll at all times bear in mind residence.
Social Media: Best Promoter
Afrobeats didn’t blow up as a result of some large man in an costly go well with stated so.
It blew as a result of the streets commanded it. Instagram reels, TikTok challenges, random WhatsApp statuses – one share at a time, the African sound took over.
It wasn’t simply charts and numbers; it was pure, uncooked connection.
The world caught the fever, and guess what? There’s no remedy.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Jessie J: A Powerhouse Voice Dealing with Her Hardest Battle.
Glastonbury: Afro Invasion
Glastonbury, which hallowed the bottom for rock legends to carry out and look cool within the mud, has paved the way in which for different genres to shine within the Somerset fields – Afrobeats being certainly one of them.
In 2025, Glastonbury rolled out the crimson carpet for Afrobeats, saying, “Come and take your crown.” Burna Boy, Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, and Ayra Starr didn’t simply entertain, they took possession.
Subsequent factor, you see jollof on sale, Ankara bucket hats promoting out, and everybody making an attempt to pronounce “Mo !” with out spraining their tongue.
Altering the African Narrative
For too lengthy, Africa was that unhappy chapter in Western textbooks — a continent you point out solely when displaying charity adverts with flies on youngsters’ faces.
Afrobeats got here and stated, “No extra!”
Now, Africa is the place of untamed desires, unstoppable hustle, and events that may remedy any heartbreak.
It’s the sunrises over Cape City, the midnight events in Lagos, the religious vitality in Accra.
With artists like Rema, Tems, and Asake already cooking recent flavours and genres constantly evolving from Afro-country to Afro-EDM, the sound will solely get louder.
The artists got here with nothing however their drums, their tales, and a cussed perception in their very own magic.
And now? The world is transferring to their beat, the African sound.
MORE FROM CHIOMA EMMA: Wimbledon Trend: Sonay Kartal brings Nineteen Nineties Retro to Tennis
