US Vice President Kamala Harris, who is on an official trip to Africa has released an official Spotify playlist of African music as a means of crystallizing her current trip across the continent.
The playlist, entitled “My Travels”, features a diverse range of African artists, with Tanzanian musicians dominating the list.
The playlist features artists from all over Africa, with a focus on East Africa. Only one Kenyan musician was featured; Bien Aime Baraza of Sauti Sol. His song “No Body” in collaboration with Tanzanian artiste Darassa was on the elite list.
Tanzanian artists dominate the playlist, with tracks by Zuchu, Alikiba, Jay Melody, Mbosso, Jux ft Marioo, Darassa, Marioo ft Abbah, and Platform ft Marioo all appearing.
Harris travelled to Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia on an official visit where she met with African leaders and musicians to discuss economic development, security, and climate change.
Harris has used music to convey her message on other occasions, having posted a playlist on Twitter during the US presidential election in November 2020.
She also released her playlist last year, called “Kamala’s Election Night”, with songs that reflected her journey to becoming the Vice President of the United States.
During her trip, Harris also met with African musicians, including Ghanaian-American artists Black Sherif and Amaarae, expressing her intention to promote African artists in international markets and help them to reach a wider audience.
Harris’s visit to Africa is her first since taking office and was focused on strengthening ties between the US and Africa.
She met with Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, as well as with the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Harris has expressed her desire to continue deepening partnerships with African nations, stating that Africa is “critical to our shared global future”.
