Africa's Musical Icons Join Forces For Conservation With 'music For Wildlife' Concert Series

The series is a powerful celebration of culture and conservation, aiming to reach over 350-million viewers in 190 countries to Africa's music and wildlife, says Wild Africa.

South Africa's Focalistic, multi-award-winning rapper, singer-songwriter, and global superstar, says, "Africans should care about protecting wildlife. Wildlife and national parks create a lot of jobs in Africa, such as attracting tourists from across the world. Let's use music and arts, to protect our amazing wildlife."

Produced by Wild Africa, a conservation NGO dedicated to protecting Africa's wildlife and wild spaces, in collaboration with OAS1SONE, a trailblazing platform for music and immersive experiences, Music for Wildlife features over 150 musicians united by one urgent message: the need to protect Africa's iconic wildlife and wild spaces now. The series is supported by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), a global non-profit long active throughout Africa, helping animals and people thrive together, says the NGO.

Peter Knights OBE, Wild Africa CEO, says, "Trace appeals to the youth, which is the future of Africa, and their passion will be vital for Africa to conserve the world's most incredible wildlife and the natural foundation on which human life depends."

Africa, home to a quarter of the world's biodiversity, faces enormous challenges, including poaching, habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, the illegal wildlife trade and climate change, all contributing to a drastic decline in wildlife populations. The WWF's 2024 Living Planet Index reports that our wildlife populations have plunged by 76% over the last 50 years, adds the NGO.

But there is hope. People are starting to care more deeply about the world around them — wanting to make a difference, to be heard. Music has a unique ability to transcend our differences and connect people. It is a modern, emotive and creative way to help society learn about nature. From Cape Town to Lagos, Harare to Windhoek, artists are donating their talent and time to advocate against the threats facing wildlife. Through powerful performances and bold messages, these musicians are inspiring their fans to stand with them, take action and reconnect with the wild spaces in our national parks, says the NGO.

"African artists are very powerful voices and can make the difference to raise awareness for better wildlife protection in Africa. Trace is proud to open its global network to host the Music for Wildlife shows that perfectly align with our values and initiatives," says Olivier Laouchez, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of the Trace Group.

Lindelani Mkhize, Founder of Joyous Celebration, states, "Music is our prayer, our power, and our protest. With Joyous Celebration, we raise our voices not just in worship, but in a divine call to protect Africa's majestic wildlife. This is our sacred duty — to preserve the beauty God entrusted to us."

Airing weekly from July 2025, audiences will meet some of Africa's musicians, including stars such as CKay, Focalistic, Musa Keys, Kamo Mphela, Vinka, Feli Nandi, Shekhinah, Azawi, Joyous Celebration and Zakes Bantwini. Each 24-minute concert will feature an engaging blend of recorded studio sessions and captivating wildlife conservation content, adds the NGO.

"Trace, a global powerhouse in African music and media, unites with top African artists and one of the world's leading conservation organisations in a groundbreaking partnership to amplify the call for wildlife protection. This collaboration not only drives global awareness for Africa's wildlife, but also catapults African music and talent to millions worldwide," says Jandre Louw, Founder and CEO of OAS1SONE.

IFAW President and CEO Azzedine Downes concludes, "IFAW has long embraced music and the arts as a way to celebrate wildlife and acknowledge the critical importance of biodiversity across the globe. In recognising its existence, we must also recognise its inherent vulnerability. We are immensely proud to work alongside partners as part of the 'Music for Wildlife' series, as we strive to achieve a world where both animals and people thrive together."

For more information, visit www.wildafrica.org. You can also follow Wild Africa on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, or on Instagram.

*Image courtesy of contributor