Access has historically been one of the biggest barriers for women in the music industry. Not necessarily talent or ambition, but access to studios, executives, collaborators, funding, publishing conversations, and the boardrooms where careers are shaped long before audiences ever hear the music. That’s why Pretty Loud’s newly announced partnership with FAME Week Africa feels impactful beyond visibility.
Held annually in Cape Town, FAME Week Africa has steadily established itself as one of the continent’s largest creative industry gatherings, bringing together professionals across film, television, animation, fashion, music, and digital content. Through platforms like Muziki Africa, the event functions as a meeting point between African creatives and international buyers, broadcasters, investors, and collaborators. For emerging artists and independent creatives, it’s a space that can open pathways into global markets.
Entering that ecosystem marks a major step for Pretty Loud. Since launching in 2025, the Cape Town-based platform has focused on creating opportunities specifically for women working across music, from artists and producers to publishers, managers, DJs, and executives. Through writing camps, workshops, mentorship programmes, and networking initiatives, the organisation has quickly developed into one of the country’s most active women-led music networks.
“Pretty Loud was built around the belief that the music industry grows stronger when more women are given access to the rooms where real conversations, opportunities and connections happen,” says singer-songwriter and founder of Pretty Loud, Erin Elliot. “We’re incredibly grateful to see FAME Week Africa recognising the importance of this movement and actively supporting a platform that is creating space for more women to be seen, heard and connected across music and entertainment.”
The collaboration will see Pretty Loud host a major presence throughout FAME Week, including an exhibition stand, participation in wider programming, the launch of the Pretty Loud Summit, and a dedicated all-female writing camp bringing together artists, songwriters, and producers from across Africa.
The summit will focus on conversations around representation, collaboration, and the future of African music, while the writing camp creates a space specifically designed for women creatives to connect and work together within an environment centred on access and opportunity. “Partnering with FAME Week Africa 2026 for the very first Pretty Loud Summit feels like a powerful reflection of the shift that is happening across the industry right now,” Elliot says.
As African music continues expanding globally, initiatives like Pretty Loud are increasingly necessary to create sustainable access for women working across every level of the industry. More importantly, the partnership is an acknowledgement that women should not only be visible within the African music ecosystem, but be active parts of the conversations shaping its future.
