Empowering the vibe: how homegrown videos take Afrobeats global

It’s a sound, yes, but it’s also an aesthetic – and it’s become Nigeria’s most compelling export. Afrobeats has found its way onto the world stage through a combination of the purest, rawest talent, plenty of hustle and a wider creative community that shapes the sound into a powerful visual language that resonates across the world.

It’s been something of a stellar rise that’s seen this musical genre go from being relatively unheard of outside of Africa in the early 2000s, to being one of the most influential movements in modern music. While internationally famous artists such as Wizkid and Burna Boy have dominated, one could argue that the moment Beyoncé shared a stage with Nigerian singer, songwriter and producer, Tems, Afrobeats underscored it’s place in the mainstream.

This is the dream for so many young Nigerians, to have their music, their art, discovered and loved by the world. But for many, especially in neighbourhoods like Ilaje Bariga in Lagos, poverty is deeply entrenched and opportunities for young people are scarce. Housing is overcrowded, clean water and electricity are unreliable. It’s hard for anyone here to have their voices heard, let alone have their talent and potential recognised.

But that has not stifled the creativity and determination of a whole community of up-and-coming artists, like local Afrobeats star, White Man, plus the designers, choreographers, stylists and more who shape the look of his music for the wider world. One of these is music video director, Miraisha graduate and Canon Certified Trainer, Tore Oriase.

Growing up in Bariga, Tore saw – and continues to see – incredible artists every day. True creative powerhouses who lack nothing but the means to be able to share what they do with the world. “We have real talent here. People who can deliver. People who have potential. These are people who do not have a million Naira to pay a director to shoot a music video that will match the standard that is currently accepted by the music industry,” he explains. “And that has become a burden to us and is killing the vibe of Afrobeats itself. How can we come together, even with no budget, to push them to the world? We must help those that are interested in different creative areas, who want to become directors. Who want to benefit the artists.”

What Tore sees is the need for a virtuous circle around the Afrobeats scene on a grass roots level. One where, through local education, a whole ecosystem of creatives can be built and used to take talent to the next level. He sees space for more people working in video direction and production, like himself. Homegrown talent, who live and love the music, are those who are best placed to authentically bring artists’ visions to life.

“Because every song is a story,” he explains. “Artists do not just wake up, go to the studio and make noise, then come to say, ‘I want a shoot’. There is a storyline that comes with that inspiration.” Equally, for directors like Tore and his students, it’s never a case of simply picking up the camera and pointing it. “We want to showcase what we can do too. We come up with a treatment and then table it. This way, and by the grace of God, I’ve been able to work with some wonderful artists, like Oritse Femi and B-Red.”

Creative collaboration is very much at the heart of the process, and this is what Tore wanted to demonstrate when he and Canon Ambassador, Daniel Ehimen, spent two days at Lagos’ Pan Atlantic University, bringing the Canon Academy Video initiative to nearly 100 students and professionals. “I wanted to give a real feel of how a music video is made,” says Tore. “And the plan was for a student to act as the artist, but I just knew that it would be really difficult for someone who is not a musician to do this. So, I reached out to my friend White Man, who is a well-known Afrobeats artist and somebody who loves to contribute to great things.”

Working with the artist in person was a great way for Tore to show the creative dialogue that is needed to make a music video, as well as demonstrating the symbiotic relationship between audio and visual. “We listened to the song repeatedly and asked, ‘what story do we want to tell?’ then created mood boards to discuss with White Man.” The students needed to translate his thoughts, ideas, lyrics and personality into a story, using only locations within the university, the equipment provided by Canon Academy Video and the technical skills they learnt from Tore and Daniel. “We divided the students into groups, and they took on all the necessary roles for the production. I was just there to supervise – and it was such a success!”

He has no doubt that this is the foundation from which artists like White Man, and contemporaries, such as Segg Brown and Sammy Oma, can break through onto the world stage, despite having little to no resources to do so. “We want to preach Afrobeats globally and I believe that we have the video directing talent to showcase these people to the world. Using YouTube or a streaming platform, maybe we can help them to be discovered, to get that record deal, to have a music career.”

His own path to success, through the Canon Miraisha Programme, introduced him to a concept he now holds dear and frequently shares with his students and clients – Kyosei. “This is what we are doing – living and working together for common good,” he says. “This is our locality. Our community. And we want to empower this movement.”

Learn more about the work of our Miraisha Programme.