“Right Here Right Now Africa”, the Africa Day anthem we didn't know we needed
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When do you most feel African? It’s a question I love asking my friends who live in Africa and abroad. Some tell me about favorite meals that taste like home. Others describe the smells and sounds of busy markets in Lagos or Douala. Often, people tell me about the magic of looking at a landscape they know exist nowhere else.
For me, it’s all about the music. I never feel more African than when I’m listening to old Makossa songs, or dancing to new Afrobeats tunes. I always marvel at how music from unknown parts of the continent always make me feel right at home. So on this Africa Day, let me tell you about the song I’ve been dancing to all day: “Right Here Right Now Africa” by Ghanaian singers Maame Afon and Ivy Hollys.
With their new song “Right Here Right Now Africa”, which is officially released today, Maame Afon and Ivy Hollys grace us with the anthem for Africa we didn't know we needed. I love everything about this song. I love the lyrics, which invite us to dream big for Africa, and then make that dream happen, "right here right now". I love the beats, that you can't stop moving your feet to. Don't even get me started on Maame and Ivy's crazy vocals!
A tale of feminist sisterhood
What I love most, though, is the story of how this song came to be. In 2017, feminist powerhouse Maame Afon was doing her thing: challenging a group of African high school students to use their unique gifts to create the change. In the room, young Ivy Hollys decided to walk the talk and started writing a song.
A couple of years later, both have collaborated on this amazing song, bringing in rappers Tawiah Sai and Akuokor Sai for a bridge that will have you show off your best moves. It's a tale of sisterhood, mentorship, and a reminder that no talent should be left unused - our continent just can't afford it!
"What's the point of a revolution if we can't dance?"
Thank you Maame and Ivy for this powerful message. I can’t wait to hear next year’s anthem and discover even more young voices from all corners of our beautiful continent.
I often think of this question: "What's the point of a revolution if we can't dance?". This Africa Day, you'll find me on the dancefloor, dancing to "Right Here Right Now Africa". See you there!