Josplay launched the Rise Fund in July 2025, to empower independent African artists. The Rise Fund provides financial support and strategic marketing to help emerging African artists understand the industry and build lasting careers.
With a proven history of growth and impact, this empowerment program has so far increased streams and reach for over 20 African indie artists on Josplay, having successfully completed two editions.
The first edition held in July 2025 had over 500 applications from across Africa including, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. Nigerian Afro-fusion artist Rheed1 was awarded a $ 300 infrastructure grant for his project, Solo. Other finalists, Shaan, Miles Ayo, Sammy Jones and Chssom also received playlist placements and editorial features.
The second edition amplified its impact with a $1,000 total grant pool distributed to Kiria from Kenya ($500), Elprezido from Nigeria ($ 300), and Donboydml from Nigeria ($200) to fund direct project implementation, while the top 20 applicants were featured on Josplay’s Raw & Rising playlist.
The funding program invests in independent artists across Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. To qualify, artists must have an original song released through the Josplay artist portal and keep the Josplay app actively installed.
In a recent interview, when asked what additional challenges the Josplay partnerships team addresses for independent African artists beyond financial support, Blessing Tenumah, Head of Artists Acquisition and Partnerships, noted that financial barriers represent only a part of their challenges. She observed that following two editions of the Rise Fund, independent artists struggle just as much with a lack of industry knowledge.
“This is where partnerships become incredibly valuable,” Ms. Tenumah said. ” Through our partnerships with distributors, platforms, and industry players, we connect Rise Fund artists to more than just financial resources. We connect them to information, networks, and systems that enable them to pursue their careers more holistically”.
She emphasized that, Rise Fund artists are not just receiving a grant, they are being plugged into an ecosystem that gives their music a genuine chance of reaching further than it would on their own.
“The money opens the door, but these partnerships plug artists into an ecosystem that gives their music a genuine chance to scale,” she added. “That is the shift I am most proud of.”
Ms. Tenumah also confirmed that applications for the next edition are opening soon, and the Josplay Rise Fund marks an important step toward nurturing and advancing the creative talents within Africa, demonstrating Josplay’s commitment to supporting cultural expression and industry growth.
Read: Josplay Rise Fund Vol. 1 winner
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