Founded in 1996, BANTU have been one of the few African diaspora acts transforming the legacy of King Sunny Adé and Fela Kuti into the soundtrack of the global African movement.The group is distinguished by the fact that while created and fronted by vocalist Ade Bantu, it is unmistakably a collective, collaborative effort. When you have a band this strong, this tight where everyone gets to shine, magic happens. The list of artists who've collaborated with BANTU is a testament to the power, originality and talent of the band: an international cornucopia including UB40, Tony Allen, Patrice, Nneka, Orlando Julius, Brothers Keepers (which they created), Gentleman, Yemi Alade, Megaloh and Burna Boy just to name a few. These collaborations helped the band earn several major Continental awards, including the Kora Awards (the Pan African equivalent of the Grammys) for “Best Group West Africa” and “Best Group Africa”. BANTU have been credited with the recent revival of the live music scene in Nigeria through Afropolitan Vibes, a monthly concert series & music festival that they have been hosting for over 9 years in Lagos. The show has featured over 200 top Nigerian and international acts and was voted as“one of the world's best music events of the moment" by The Village Voice.

Johanna Amelie is a Berlin-based singer/songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. She writes folky, dreamy and modern songs about everything that moves her - about romance, death or plastic pollution. Even as a child, Johanna Amelie couldn't keep her hands off instruments. From the age of 3, she learnt to play the violin and later the viola, saxophone, piano and flute. On stage she plays a variety of instruments and has worked in the studio with renowned producers such as Gordon Raphael (The Strokes) and Pola Roy (Wir sind Helden). Working with the German organisation Music Women* Germany, Johanna Amelie is also committed to the visibility of fem* artists in the music industry and is currently training to become a diversity trainer. Together with the artists Ay Wing and mari.ama, she founded the fem*ergy collective in 2021 and played as the opening act for SEEED in the summer of 2022.
Currently Johanna Amelie is preparing a series of new releases and collaborations for 2024.

"A poetic feeling is woven into these songs, which are curiously arranged and further develop Amelie's personality as a musician." ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE

“Fitting seamlessly between Julia Holter, Regina Spektor and Sharon Van Etten, the much underrated singer-songwriter from Berlin looks destined for bigger things with her new release”

FAME MAGAZINE

"Johanna Amelie takes herself and the world around her apart to ultimately put it back together into a shape of music we haven’t yet heard.“

ECLIT MAGAZINE

Mari.ama embodies Afropoean culture with roots spreading across Sierra Leone, Guinea, Germany, France, Czech Republicand Norway - a vibrant blend of influences that resonates throughout her musical creations. A Fulani nomad by heritage, she weaves her musical trails through the urban landscapes of Freetown, Cologne, Paris and Berlin, leaving kaleidoscopic sonic landscapes, a fusion of folk, soul, pop, beats, and traditional West African instruments in her wake. Her songs serve as vessels for stories that carry both depth and lightness, embracing the notion that home can be found between worlds.
From the vibrant metropolises of Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy to the sun-kissed shores of Brazil, Guinea, Nigeria, and Cape Verde, mari.ama has played for audiences far and wide.
As of January 2024 a series of single releases will reveal her latest recordings and collaborations until mari.ama takes her new album, SPRPWR, on tour.

Alongside her musical endeavors, mari.ama is deeply committed to working towards a more diverse and inclusive cultural landscape. In 2021 she co-founded the Berlin-based fem*ergy collective, a community building project of fem* artists, sharing resources and visibility in the music industry that champions diversity and inclusivity within the cultural landscape. These efforts extend to her role as a speaker on the advisory board of the newly established pop Board NRW, as well as a jury member for the popNRW award. In 2022, she curated the vagabond pop-up festival, ATMOSPHÈRE, and in 2023, she embarked on a new venture, founding the Heart.Work.

In addition to her musical activities, mari.ama is an engaging presenter and moderator who is passionate about meaningful discussions on social, cultural and societal issues. She started with contributions for WDRforyou and recently moderated the conference "Intercultural Cologne". She has also been active as a panellist at events such as the Autumn Meeting of German Media Women and at c/o popmusic convention. mari.ama appreciates the opportunity to bring her insight and passion for relevant issues to these occasions.

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