Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Dates: 22nd – 23rd May, 2026
The Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC) returns to Constitution Hill, Johannesburg, on 22nd – 23rd May 2026, continuing its role as a leading platform connecting African and global music industries through dialogue, innovation, and collaboration.
ARMC is proud to announce its first headline speakers spanning music, technology, media, and culture, with further international artists, executives, and partners to be revealed in the coming months. Confirmed headline speakers include: Elaine (Artist), Nkosiyati Khumalo (Billboard Africa), Simmy (Singer/Songwriter), Filah Lah Lah (Singer/Songwriter) and Rofhiwa Maneta (Meta). International headline speakers announced to date include Steffen Holly (Fraunhofer IDMT, Germany) and Alex Jukes (Jukebox, UK), with additional global voices to follow.
Strategic Partnership: RISA
ARMC 2026 announces a strategic partnership with the Recording Industry of South Africa (RISA), representing South Africa’s major and independent record labels. The partnership supports ongoing dialogue around rights, sustainability, and long-term industry growth.
Genre Spotlights: Lekompo & Maskandi
ARMC 2026 will spotlight Lekompo, a fast-rising genre from Limpopo translating grassroots momentum into digital scale. Leading artists including Shandesh and Kharishma have generated over 70–80 million cumulative streams, with continued growth across Spotify charts and playlists – signalling how regional genres are building national audiences through streaming-led discovery.
The programme will also spotlight Maskandi, exploring how traditional, community-rooted music continues to reach new mainstream audiences through digital platforms while retaining cultural identity.
Programme Pillars for 2026
- Live & Entertainment
- Innovation & Music Tech
- Education & Employment
- Export & Building Bridges
Based on ARMC’s Music in Tech (Africa) format developed in 2025, the AI Think Tank Roundtable, an initiative launched in Berlin by Paradise Worldwide, the Association For Electronic Music (AFEM), MusicTech Germany, and the Fraunhofer Institute, expands to Johannesburg for the first time this May. The event will bring together music and technology leaders to explore ethical AI use, fair attribution, creator protection and discuss Pan-African independence formats.
ARMC releases its 2026 theme song, “3NRGY”, by Money Badoo (South Africa) and Bony Fly (Switzerland). The track is an outcome of ARMC’s annual studio sessions and reflects the conference’s commitment to meaningful creative collaboration.
Founder Quote
“ARMC continues to be about building real pathways – between artists, executives, markets, and ideas,” says Sarah Jane Nicholson, Founder and Conference Director of Africa Rising Music Conference. “Announcing our first speakers and genre spotlights sets the tone for a programme rooted in collaboration, cultural relevance, and long-term industry impact. We’re excited to reveal much more in the months ahead.”
ARMC 2026 is made possible with the support of its headline partners Paradise Worldwide and Mint Digital Services.
Night Programme
The conference will once again extend into a curated night-time programme of showcases and live performances across Johannesburg, with further details and partners to be announced.
Tickets
Early bird tickets are available via Quicket:
https://www.quicket.co.za/events/321748-africa-rising-music-conference-2026/#/
- General Conference Ticket – R50
- VIP Ticket – R400