Approximately 400 attendees, including delegates, journalists, and artists, are expected at this year’s 11th edition event, scheduled from April 7 to April 10, as shared by Benito Lopes, the general director of the event. “We have surpassed last year’s registration numbers,” he noted during an interview at the Plateau, the historical center of the capital where the event traditionally takes place, adding that they received numerous requests even after registration was closed.
AME brings together professionals from the entertainment industry, primarily in music, from around the world. The event includes parts of the program open to the public, occurring right before the Kriol Jazz Festival, a prominent event in Cabo Verde’s international music agenda.
Featuring conferences, exhibitors, and workshops, the event showcases daily performances, known as “showcases,” of artists who apply each year to perform. The selection task has become increasingly challenging, according to Benito.
The AME 2025 will feature participants from 12 countries: Angola, Brazil, Canada, Spain, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Italy, Morocco, Mozambique, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and Senegal, alongside the host country, Cabo Verde.
About half of the performing artists are Cabo Verdean, with this year’s lineup including Ari Kueka, Dieg, Fábio Ramos, Zuleica Barros, Queency Barbosa, Yacine Rosa, Leroy Pinto, CJ Patronato, Teresa Fernandes, and Eliana Rosa.
The international lineup features artists such as Isabel Novella (Mozambique), Mariaa Siga (Senegal), Roberta Campos (Brazil), Rumba de Bodas (Italy), Sahad (Senegal), Tasuta N-Imal (Morocco), Throes + The Shine (Angola/Portugal), Karyna Gomes (Guinea-Bissau), Raquel Kurpershoek (Spain), Fattu Djakité (Guinea-Bissau), Vox Sambou (Québec/Haiti), and Danças Ocultas (Portugal).
The celebration will also include performances by four selected Cabo Verdean DJs: DJ Muleki, DJ Oleg, and DJ Streladuh.
Benito Lopes emphasized, “AME is a market, not a festival,” explaining that the structure focuses on artists showcasing their work rather than headlining acts. “We promote a marketplace where these performances allow artists to sell their products using AME as a platform to promote their work,” he explained, citing Brazil’s significant interest in participating in AME.
The event particularly draws participation from various African nations seeking new opportunities, with Europe being a regular presence since AME’s inception, thanks to its collaboration with Womex, an international project supporting and developing global music.
Benito notes, “Cape Verdeans have also realized they can leverage this platform to internationalize themselves.”
Discussing aspirations, Benito talked about the goal of discovering the next “Cize,” referring to Cesária Évora, the acclaimed international artist from the archipelago who passed away in 2011. “If a new Cize emerges from AME, even better. We have excellent talents being uncovered here each year. We just need to invest more in our mother music, in the tradition of Cape Verde.”
The general director advocates for a successful strategy that emphasizes uniting event promoters to bolster Cabo Verde’s promotional efforts, retaining traditional styles while incorporating fresh innovations. “The aim is simple: to reach the level where Cesária left us.”
The intertwining of music with digital sectors and new technologies will also form discussion topics among professionals, alongside intellectual property and related rights, as outlined in this year’s program.
Organized by Cabo Verde Cultural, a non-profit association, AME is supported by the government and private entities, a collaboration crucial to energizing the event.
