Top African songs about the Coronavirus outbreak

In the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, influential public figures are leading in the fight against the highly infectious virus. Consequently, some of them are speaking publicly about their experience. From Sierra Leone-British actor Idris Elba to Nigerian star Davido, everyone in the entertainment industry has been affected in one way or another. The pandemic has led to the cancellation of movies shooting and music tours.

Sadly, the disease has claimed the lives of notable African musicians. ‘King of Soukous” Aurlus Mabélé and jazz icon Manu Dibango both died in France. Tanzanian rapper, Mwana FA, is one of the African musicians to test positive. In many African countries, governments seem to be having trouble in enforcing lockdown. Perhaps, this is largely because most of the citizens are still ignorant of the virus and its mode of spread.

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The entire scenario highlights the distrust of most citizens with their government. To ensure a smooth flow of information and widespread awareness, many musicians are composing songs about coronavirus. This makes sense considering that many African citizens listen more to celebrities than their government. Therefore, we culled a list of top songs about coronavirus, from African artists. Have a look and let us know what you think in the comment box below.

10. Ferré Gola (DR Congo)

Formerly a member of Quartier Latin International, which is led by Koffi Olomide, Gola has created a sensational hit on coronavirus. The title of the song is “We’re Fighting Corona Virus”. In the catchy melody, he urges his fellow citizens to take caution and adhere to rules by health agencies and authorities. He enlists the precautionary measures right from the onset of the song. Consequently, The YouTube comment section is buzzing with comments appreciating his efforts. Some call him a ‘genius’.

9. Pst. Timothy Kitui (Kenya)

Rendered in traditional dialect spiced by local instruments, the song ‘Mulembe One Metre Away’, translates to ‘greet them at one meter away’. The song features his fellow artist Ben Mukabwa. Pst Timothy took to Facebook to promote the newly released visual. “Our fortified resolve can’t fall to corona, not with God on our side. We hope the message gets across #newsongalert #unitedagainstcorona,” Kitui said.

8. African students in China

A harmonious tune has been created by African students who study in Shandong, China. The song serves as a source of encouragement to fellow foreign students who have been caught up in the pandemic. It also warns people against discrimination, which is growing across African countries with the harassment of Chinese nationals. The production is of great quality despite the limited resources the students had, and the message is crystal clear. “Corona is the foe. You and I are bros. No discrimination, I’m not virus.”

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7. Ndlovu Youth Choir (South Africa)

South African talented youth choir has composed a moving-yet-fun song titled “We’ve Got This”. The young choir members come from a community with limited access to water. It is a common problem in the nation, with a city like Cape Town being affected in recent years. Dressed in colorful African print and matching accessories, the cheerful bunch danced to the tune, beating metal drums and delivering a powerful message right on point. The song focuses on what people should do in order to avoid contracting the virus as well as giving hope about the post-COVID-19 future. The team has also released a follow-up song titled, “Wash Your Hands.”

6. Y en a marre (Senegal)

“Y en a marre” (‘Had enough’), as their name suggests, are a group of Senegalese artists who have for long been involved in preaching against corruption and weighing in on current politics. They set aside their usual business for a song that focuses on the dangers of coronavirus and measures that their fellow citizens should take to avoid contracting the virus. “Fagaru Ci Corona” is a move from fighting against the government to helping the administration to convey important messages to the public.

5. Koffi Olomide (DR Congo)

Taking a slightly unique approach, the Soukus star did an IGTV acoustic to sensitize his fans about the disease. This is a preview to the official song, ‘Coronavirus Assassin’. He has revealed that ‘all the revenues from this song will be donated to the NGOs fighting this pandemic or to the poorest who are confined to their homes and cannot manage to feed properly…’ He also urged people to take steps to be safe during this trying period. “And above all, don’t forget to take the essential protective measures against this pandemic…have good weekend friends.”

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4. Guardian Angel (Kenya)

The Kenyan gospel artist has partnered with the Ministry of Sports, Culture, and Heritage to create a song about the pandemic, together with other collaborators, namely Chris Adwar and Christine Wambui. The song, which highlights the government’s efforts in combating the spread of COVID-19 is currently receiving a lot of airplay on local media stations. The song, written and sang in Swahili educates the public on everything they need to know about the pandemic. “People in the village are getting information but they are not following the set instructions. Most are assuming the coronavirus is only in Nairobi. Most of them are (living from) hand to mouth, so it is hard for them”, he told The Star, a local daily.

3. Fally Ipupa (Congo)

The famous star, known for urbanizing Congolese music has released a French acoustic song ‘Mode Confinement’, which translates into ‘Containment Mode’. He is urging his fans and the general public to stay put in their homes, avoid physical contact and unnecessary movement. Fally Ipupa is an influential figure in the African music industry. His YouTube channel has over 580 million views.

2. Bobi Wine (Uganda)

The Ugandan MP, activist and veteran musician went back to the studio for an urgent project. However, the aim is strictly to sensitize masses about coronavirus virus. He teams up with his friend and long-time collaborator Nubian Li to deliver this hit. He said, “the bad news is that everyone is a potential victim. But the good news is that everyone is a potential solution.” Bobi has been a major force in Ugandan politics. Consequently, Time Magazine named him among the Next 100 Most Influential People in the world. The video has garnered over 600.000 views.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKY9AKuJNqI

1. Rayvanny (Tanzania)

Tanzania has a booming entertainment industry. Its Bongo Flava music is well-established across East Africa. This song urges all to pray so that the pandemic can come to pass. It also persuades the listener to avoid contracting the coronavirus. It also details the measures that the World Health Organization has put in place to curb the spread of the virus. This includes washing hands, avoiding crowds and going for testing if symptoms occur. The clip also has a word from President John Magufuli. The song has over 1.9 million views at the time of this publication.