Apple Music says Afro-pop singer-songwriter Platform (real name Mukami Kaaria) is the latest artist to be featured in its new Up Next artist development program in East Africa.
Platform, said: “I’m incredibly proud to be Apple Music’s Up Next artist for East Africa this month. It’s a unique opportunity for me and I can’t put it into words what it means to be one of the first East African artists to receive this accolade.
“I’d like to thank Abbah Music, Africori and the Apple Music team for giving me this opportunity. It gives me the strength to increase my efforts in music, I will fight hard to give my fans the best and dedicate this win to them!”
Platform’s debut EP Above & Beyond, available to stream on Apple Music, is a fusion of Bongo Flava, Reggaeton and Afro-pop wrapped in the singer’s trademark vocals. Incorporating expertly-placed features from Marioo, Jux, Darassa, Maua Sama and Tommy Flavour, this EP showcases Platform’s knack for integrating multiple styles within his unique sound.
As one of Tanzania’s brightest up-and-coming talents, Platform followed up the success of “Fall” (2022), his first collaboration single alongside Marioo, with the EP’s first downtempo single “Ananipenda” that has to-date recorded millions of streams and views worldwide.
Apple Music’s Up Next artist development program has had a fruitful history of spotlighting the next wave of creative talent since it was established in August 2017, with Nigerian Grammy Award winning superstars, Burna Boy and Tems, the first two African artists to be spotlighted on a global scale in 2019 and 2021 respectively.
As the next Up Next act to be spotlighted in East Africa after Kash Kaaria, Platform will be featured across Apple Music’s Up Next playlist. The curated Up Next playlist features a dynamic class of new and emerging artists, thoughtfully hand-picked by Apple Music editors from around the world.
The playlist is genre agnostic and represents a line-up of artists our global editors are passionate about and eager to expose to a larger audience.
The vast global Up Next roster of past talent includes Grammy-nominated and critically lauded talent like 6lack, Daniel Caesar, H.E.R., Greta Van Fleet, Khalid, Amy Shark, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Claudio, Sigrid, Mr Eazi, Stefflon Don, Bad Bunny, Juice WLRD, Bazzi, Jax Jones, NCT 127, Summer Walker, Tierra Whack, Dean Lewis, Pink Sweat$, Koffee, Megan Thee Stallion, Burna Boy, Clairo, Lunay, Jessie Reyez, Orville Peck, Victoria Monét, Ingrid Andress, Conan Gray, Don Toliver, Rema, BENEE, Holly Humberstone, Natanael Cano, Givēon, beabadoobee, Arlo Parks, Tate McRae, Foushee and Tems.