Ghanaian music company Apprise Music & Media has taken Epixode, Abiana and five other Ghanaian acts to a major international music industry gathering in Spain. In a statement published on Thursday, 5 November, Apprise Music said it presented the artists to international festival programmers, booking agents, promoters and labels at the Worldwide Music Expo (WOMEX) 2026 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
The company said it pitched music and promotional materials for Epixode, Abiana, Yinewin, King Nzema, King Eazie, Ayizam and Rama Black during the five-day expo, which ran from 21 to 25 October. “These artists represent different musical approaches, creative backgrounds and expressions of Ghanaian music,” Apprise said.
Apprise was represented by its founder and CEO, Michael Bamfo, and its Chief Operating Officer and Head of Publishing, Grace Nyele Mensah. As reported by Citi Newsroom and Graphic Online, the delegation met a representative of the Recording Academy, the organisation behind the Grammy Awards, and a vice president of The Orchard, the distribution company owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Apprise was clear that these were conversations, not deals. “Our WOMEX engagements represent professional conversations and possible areas for future cooperation, rather than confirmed agreements or endorsements by the organisations involved,” it said.
The company’s artist profiles describe Epixode as a winner of Ghana’s 2021 Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year award, known for blending reggae, dancehall and highlife. Abiana is presented as a soul and highlife vocalist who won Best Female Vocal Performance at the 2021 Ghana Music Awards, and whose project Voices of Ghana with the Latvian folk ensemble Auļi links West African melodies with Baltic traditions.
Apprise argues that streaming alone does not open doors to stages abroad. “Making music available on streaming platforms is valuable, but live performance opportunities often require a different network of professional relationships,” the company said, pointing to booking agents, festival networks and touring support as the missing links for many African acts.
Founded in Ghana in 2018, Apprise works in digital distribution, publishing administration, rights management and music business education. This was its fourth time at WOMEX, and the company says its next step is to keep talking with the contacts it made and look at opportunities for showcases, tours and cultural exchanges.
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