The second edition of East Africa’s Music Tech and Innovation Summit, Kilele is set to kick off on February 18th and closes on 22nd at the Mall Westlands, Nairobi, Kenya. Built on the reputation for blending adventurous music with cultural and technological innovation, Kilele continues to push boundaries by merging folkloric traditions with futuristic visions. 

 

Produced by Santuri East Africa, this year’s summit will host artists and participants from over 19 countries. This summit is supported by Roskilde Foundation, Pro Helvetia, Goethe Institut, Australian High Commission and Music Norway.

 

Kilele 2025 will explore three compelling thematic areas: “Music and Ecology,” “Decolonising Instrument Design,” and “Building Communities through Sound and Music Culture.” Attendees can look forward to a rich lineup of workshops, panels, talks, installations, showcases, parties, screenings and more.

 

A highlight of this year’s summit is the Instrument Makers Lab – a five-day workshop uniting creators of traditional instruments like kalimbas, nyatitis, and xylophones with programmers, coders, and representatives from global music tech giants such as Ableton and Elektron. This creative playground will culminate in a showcase during the summit, offering a glimpse into the future of instrument-making in the region.

 

With support from Africa Rising Music Conference / Paradise Worldwide and AlphaTheta (formerly Pioneer DJ), the event will also include free DJ workshops and panel discussions on independent labels and artist development services.

 

Kilele 2025 promises an impressive roster of international and regional talent, including Afrique Like Me (Canada), Auntie Flo + Band (UK/Senegal/Kenya), Ngomani (Kenya/Norway), Nilotica Cultural Ensemble (Uganda), SnSe & Rafiiki (Kenya), Mizizi Ensemble (Kenya/Australia/Norway), Nwao (Nigeria/USA), Freekafrolic (Kenya), Hasira Hasara (Kenya), Astrid Bin (UK), Sammy Karugu & Basile Huguenin-Virchaux (Kenya/Switzerland), Odd Okoddo (Kenya/Germany), Barno (Kenya/UK), Daniel Jones (UK), Sophia Mitiku (Ethiopia/South Korea/Finland), Nana & Zai (Tanzania), DJ Raph (Kenya), Mina (UK), Jane Arnison (Australia), Joshua Madalitso Chiundiza (Zimbabwe), Sisonke Papu (South Africa), Labdi (Kenya), Mashariki Vibes (Kenya), Muha (Mozambique) and Christos Michalakos (Greece) among others.

 

Kilele will also host international music technology firms, providing opportunities to showcase products, learn from local creators, and forge partnerships. Participants include:

  • Image Line (FL Studio creators)
  • Ableton (Live, Push, Note, and Move makers)
  • ADAM Audio (studio monitor manufacturers)
  • Novation/Focusrite (audio gear specialists)
  • Elektron (hardware drum machines, synths, and samplers)
  • Orchestral Tools (film scoring and production tools)

 

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