Zongo Junction Signs Kwabena Kwabena

Kwabena Kwabena, winner of the 2006 Ghana Music Award for Best Male Vocal, today became the first artist to sign with Zongo Junction (ZJ). Kwabena Kwabena is now en-route to London, preparing plans for his digital future.

ZJ is a new management company who represent the digital rights of artists and record labels worldwide. Through their digital distribution deal with Universal Music/Genepool, ZJ is aiming to put Ghana on the digital music map, enabling music fans all over the world to download music through services like iTunes and Napster.

They are also developing the market for digital music within Ghana, via partnerships with mobile phone companies and Internet Service Providers.

From Atlantis radio today, ZJ Director Kwame Farkye commented, ?For a number of years we have been looking for a way of broadening the horizons of Ghanaian music. Given the worldwide growth in legal digital downloading, we want to give Ghanaian musicians and record labels the chance to benefit from that expanding market. We also want to provide internet users with a way of buying our music legally.?

When asked who else intends to sign with ZJ, Kwame added ?We are talking to a number of other labels and artists and will be making further announcements in the coming weeks. We will be releasing Kwabena Kwabena?s album soon, and will follow up with a series of other releases in 2006. We will also be making back catalogue and compilations available?.

In an email from London, ZJ?s Tom McDonnell said he was thrilled that Kwabena Kwabena has signed with Zongo and we look forward to developing his career in the digital world. He has the talent, songs and the open mindedness that is needed to succeed in the modern day.

Although the download market is in it?s infancy, he believes it will grow quickly over the coming years.

Artists like Kwabena will now be able to see every sale made and exactly how much money they are making. He concluded by saying that ZJ looked forward to working with many other artists, of all backgrounds and styles.

Sales of music via the internet and mobile phones proliferated and spread across the world in 2005, generating sales of US$1.1 billion for record companies - up from US$380 million the previous year - and promising further significant growth
in the coming year.

Zongo Junction is a new UK Company owned by Kwame Farkye and Tom McDonnell. Kwame has been involved in entertainment for many years as a promoter and radio presenter. He currently hosts Accra?s most popular drivetime show on Atlantis Radio.

Tom is a music manager who works with management company Tudhope-Hawkins in London. Tom is also a director of Monterosa Productions, who provide digital services to the BBC.

For more information, please call or email: UK - Tom McDonnell, tom@zongojunction.com | (+44) 07900 808540
GH ? Kwame Farkye, kwame@zongojunction.com | (+233) 0244 366 232