Africa Oye Announces North West Acts For Support Slots At 2015 Festival
With the UK's largest FREE celebration of African music and culture just one month away, Africa Oyé have announced two North West based acts for their main stage line-up.
7-piece neo soul band Pieces of a Man and the multi-talented singer/rapper/producer Merki Waters will form the first ever Oyé Introduces portion of the festival - an initiative to support local up-and-coming artists in the North West.
Pieces of a Man, who kick off the Saturday of the festival, have a mission statement to show soul, no matter the stakes, by creating music of real character and intention. Influences include neo-soul heavyweights D’Angelo, Dwele, Omar, Robert Glasper and Jill Scott, as well as more traditional soul staples like Stevie Wonder and Gil Scott-Heron.
“This band grooves with a vocal which will stop you in your tracks" - BBC Radio Manchester
Opening the festival Sunday, 25 year old Singer/Songwriter/Rapper and Producer, Merki Waters is one of the UK’s outstanding up and coming artists, noted for his creative lyricism and superb vocal delivery. With sharp biting commentary and the aspirations and hopes of a generation put to pulsating grooves and stirring melodies you are taken on a lyrical and musical journey throughout a live show that inspires.
"Merki is a proposition like few others in Liverpool. Rapper, singer, producer but ultimately pop artist with a vast palette and Sefton Park is his canvas to exploit" - Peter Guy, Getintothis
Merki is also a founder of the Lab Music Foundation which has been providing services to meet some of the needs of underprivileged local acts in Liverpool in the form of music workshops, performance training, audio/video recording, showcase events as well as providing a YouTube platform ‘Lab TV’ which is now the largest urban media broadcaster in the North West of England, showcasing video content of rappers, singers and musicians.
The main stage acts will be complemented by the usual eclectic 'Oyé Village' featuring an array of foods from across the globe, traders, DJs, dance classes and workshops in the Active Zone, as well as kids entertainment to keep Sefton Park buzzing throughout the festival weekend.
Africa Oyé 2015 Live Line-Up
Omar (UK)
Frankie Paul (Jamaica)
BKO Quintet (Mali)
Diabel Cissokho (Senegal)
Gordon Masiala and NKA Musica (DR Congo)
Lindigo (Réunion)
Derito (Angola)
Sarabi (Kenya)
Cumbia All Stars (Peru)
Modou Toure and Ramon Goose (Senegal/UK)
Oyé Introduces...
Pieces of a Man (UK)
Merki Waters (UK)
Africa Oyé 2015
Sefton Park, Liverpool
Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st June 2015
12:30pm - 9:30pm both days /Admission: FREE (no ticket required)
Funded by Arts Council England and Liverpool City Council
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