Swansong: Red Bull Music Academy shares entire video catalogue

The global institution officially shut down on 31 October following Red Bull’s decision to part ways with consultancy company Yadastar. However, Red Bull Music will continue its programming with a decentralised format, hosting more regionally focused events in the months ahead.

“After 20 years of supporting artists worldwide with its music programme in a rapidly changing world, Red Bull will maintain its purpose of providing a global platform to promote creativity – but it is changing the means of delivery,” Red Bull said in April.

“Red Bull will be moving away from a strongly centralised approach, will gradually phase out the existing structure and will implement a new set-up which empowers existing Red Bull country teams and utilises local expertise. Red Bull will continue to explore new ways to support promising and cutting-edge artists wherever they may be.”

Since its establishment in 1998, the academy has been hosted in a different city every year, bringing together a mindfully selected group of artists from around the world. The academy also presented a month-long festival of curated signature concerts and parties held in the city’s coolest venues, cultural institutions and off-the-radar spaces, each showcasing a different element of the host city’s unique musical and cultural identity.

Some of the Africans featured include the late Papa Wemba (DRC), Black Coffee (South Africa), Blinky Bill (Kenya), Suraj (Kenya) and Amadou and Mariam (Mali).

Access the Red Bull Music Academy catalogue here.