On Saturday 17 October, the question on stage at the Institut français in Abidjan-Plateau was not who plays tonight, but how a scene is built. The Alté Club Festival, initiated by cultural entrepreneur Pierre-Marie Kouassi-Lenoir as a platform to spot, support and showcase emerging artists, devoted its day to workshops and two panels, before closing with a concert on the institute's esplanade.

The first panel looked at venues. Chantal Djédjé, director of La Fabrique culturelle, argued that rooms exist and that artists should choose those that match their audience, starting small and growing step by step. Christophe Kassi, founder of the Fête de la musique de Midi à minuit, insisted on knowing what audiences want. Hyacinthe Amankou noted how often young artists aim for Abidjan's biggest stages straight after a first release, and urged them to build a team for the long run.

The second panel asked how new Ivorian scenes can emerge and be exported. Around the table sat producer Ali le Code, cultural entrepreneur Stanislas de Stabenrath, DJ and curator Black Charles, artist Renard Barakissa, manager Cheick Togba and rapper Daayvs.

The speakers agreed that the scene is growing, helped by social media, and that rap ivoire and coupé-décalé, carried by names such as Didi B and Himra, are gaining recognition abroad. De Stabenrath pointed to the Biama, an offshoot of coupé-décalé, as an example of a genre that must first be loved at home before it can travel.

The practical advice was plain: understand branding, invest in a strong visual identity and quality videos, and surround oneself with a manager able to handle contracts and negotiate with labels. Beneath the checklist lay a larger idea, that export begins in the neighbourhood rooms where a sound first finds its public.

AMA MARKET → VINYL