A Sense of Belonging on Heritage Day: Embracing Numerous Cultures at Sony Music
Oct 03, 2023
From left: Morravay (Nigerian artist), Ringo Madlingozi (artist, songwriter and producer), and a Sony Music Africa worker.
Sony Music Africa celebrated today with Sony Music, artist, songwriter and producer Ringo Madlingozi, Tanzanian Hip-Hop artist Younger Lunya, and artist Daniella Daniel, often called Morravay from Nigeria.
Yearly, on September 24, South Africa celebrates the wealthy historical past, traditions, and multifaceted cultural heritage of the “Rainbow Nation.” Initially often called “Shaka Day,” South Africa’s Heritage Day, is a second to acknowledge the various varied communities by embracing variety and selling respect amongst totally different ethnic and cultural teams.
This yr’s theme was Belonging, and staff got here dressed of their cultural and different relevantly themed apparel that showcased their various identities—together with Ringo Madlingozi— who celebrated 27 years within the business and had his catalogue made out there on streaming platforms the identical day. This contributed to fostering an inclusive surroundings for every particular person whereas offering an area for everybody to study totally different cultures and cultural affinities and have the chance to spotlight who they’re—authentically with out judgment.
“Our Variety and Inclusion committee deliberate today to spotlight ‘belonging’ as a focus of this yr’s celebration,” mentioned Chenayi Mukaro, Head of Individuals Expertise. “It was vital to the committee to emphasise being your genuine self and inspiring everybody to take time to know one another and their backgrounds.”
In a present of celebration and participation on this special occasion, staff got here dressed of their cultural apparel that represented their ethnic backgrounds or their chosen cultural affiliation. From delicate African cuisines that symbolized the culinary journey of meals from varied cultures and scenes to non-public speeches ready by staff to specific what ‘Heritage Day’ means to them, this bridged a connection and helped showcase how variety performs a higher function in creativity at Sony Music Leisure.
“[This] occasion allowed a possibility for us to fulfill one another at some extent of realness. I didn’t know {that a} easy occasion and cultural clothes would bond us as a Sony Music household. I’m conscious of who I’m culturally, I’m an African with a South African tradition. I felt revered and honored,” mentioned Caroline Morabe, Label Supervisor. “Let’s take pleasure in how we respect every of our various cultures. Africa is superb and we’re right here to guarantee that the Sony imaginative and prescient is realized.”
Learn an worker speech in celebration of ‘Heritage Day’ from Digital Providers and Associate Supervisor, Blessing Manafa, from Sony Music Nigeria beneath:
Have you ever ever seen that the identical of two issues by no means make a brand new factor?
Have you ever ever seen that new experiences don’t ever actually come by doing the identical routine?
Have you ever ever questioned why it takes a mixture of crimson and blue – two fully totally different colours to make purple?
Think about a world the place solely reds existed – this implies the fantastic thing about purple may by no means have been born nor skilled.
Fortunately, we don’t stay in such a world. Our world is filled with reds, blue—all unconsciously tasked to, with interacting in varied capacities, to start “purple.”
By “purple” I imply new experiences, contemporary views, alternate angles to the identical image.
To talk plainly, everybody right here symbolizes a crimson or a blue and it’s our accountability to create purple ourselves absolutely realizing that with out the wealthy, vibrant, and unstoppable crimson or the great, calm, and highly effective blue – we are able to by no means have purple.
This implies all that makes us who we’re, all that has contributed to the place we’re from certainly has a spot right here.
That means “right here” must be a spot the place our distinctive tales and backgrounds – our heritage – don’t take a again seat. As a substitute that very heritage turns into the catalyst that creates the purple in {our relationships} inside and outdoors our work surroundings.
Being a Nigerian born from two main tribes – Igbo & Yoruba, I can let you know that I’ve come to understand and worth firsthand the fantastic thing about variety, and this has led me to the conclusion that we’re certainly all items of the identical complete.
An entire that may by no means be seen and absolutely appreciated with out its particular person components.
Blissful Heritage Day – maintain creating great purple experiences!
Scan right here to hearken to Licensed Heritage, the occasion’s official playlist consisting completely of artists from Sony Music South Africa.
The Licensed Heritage playlist paintings was created by Maria Hadjidimitriadis, Strategic Catalogue Advertising Supervisor, Sony Music Leisure Africa. “This paintings was impressed by our wealthy cultural variety and keenness for our music,” says Maria. “The quilt paintings is depicted as a quilt which is pieced collectively utilizing conventional prints, every representing a special ethnicity throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. The golden thread holding every print in place, represents the music that brings our various ethnicities nearer collectively, and this playlist is made out there by means of the Sony Music Leisure Africa localized Legacy catalogue division, Licensed Africa, the primary official CERTIFIED curator on Apple and custodian of our distinctive genre-blending music catalogue for Hip-Hop, R&B, Kwaito, Gospel, Amapiano and Afrobeats.”
