Afrobeat is one of those sounds you feel before you can name it. Horn-driven, percussion-heavy and built on a deep groove, it is music designed to move a room. Here is a short guide to where it comes from and why it works so well live.
Where it started
Afrobeat was pioneered in Nigeria in the late 1960s and 1970s, most famously by Fela Kuti, who fused West African highlife and traditional rhythms with American jazz and funk. The result was long, hypnotic, groove-led music with a strong social voice and an unmistakable energy.
Afrobeat or Afrobeats?
They are related but not the same. Afrobeat (no s) is the classic, instrument-led sound rooted in Fela Kuti. Afrobeats (with an s) is the modern, chart-focused West African pop movement of recent years. AfroSync draws on the classic Afrobeat tradition, alongside jazz and reggae.
What makes it work at events
The magic is in the groove. Interlocking percussion, warm brass and space to breathe give Afrobeat a momentum that pulls people onto the floor and keeps them there. It sits comfortably between sophisticated and euphoric, which is exactly why it suits everything from a black-tie gala to a wedding.
The instruments
AfroSync builds its sound around piano, saxophone and djembe, and brings out traditional African instruments such as the marimba, mbira and talking drum for moments no covers band can offer. Add lead vocals and it becomes a full fronted show.
Hear it for yourself
The best way to understand Afrobeat is to watch it live. Head to the music page to see AfroSync in action, then check your date to bring the sound to your event.