Review: Josplay, Where African Music Lives
Vanessa Obioha
For a continent of 54 countries, reducing its music to just a handful of genres hardly does it justice. This is often the experience on many global streaming platforms, where African music is largely represented by sounds from West Africa or South Africa. What, then, of the musical traditions of Lusophone Africa and the many other genres that rarely make global playlists? Africa’s sonic landscape surely goes beyond afrobeats, amapiano and house music.
Enter Josplay, an Afrocentric audio entertainment platform that delivers music, news, stories and audiobooks to listeners around the world. Since its launch in 2019, the platform has been intentional about creating a distinctly African listening experience, from its intuitive interface to AI-powered recommendations that adapt to each user’s preferences.
After signing up, users are introduced to a feature called Frames, which curates music around daily rhythms and moods. First-time users are presented with 10 Frames and asked to choose six, with the flexibility to customise their selections later. The feature tailors recommendations to different moments of the day. Select the Flow Frame, for instance, and the app curates music designed to aid concentration. Choose Unwind, and it shifts to mellow grooves suited to winding down after a busy day.
