YouTube Music says it has picked Joeboy and Black Sherif out of 30 artists from 15 countries for this year’s Foundry Class.

YouTube Artist Partnerships Lead, Naomi Zeichner, said in a statement on Tuesday that the class featured artists from different genres.

Joeboy and Black Sheriff represent Nigeria and Ghana respectively at the class.

Zeichner said the programme, aimed at assisting artists build sustainable careers on their own, was created in 2015 and had so far supported 250 independent artists.

She said that Foundry artists were recognised for their storytelling, innovative approach to music and viewed as the next generation entertainers.

“It is no small task to be an artist in 2022, working to find stability, fulfilment, and fans. Foundry Class celebrates the courage of independent artists and the communities that surround them,” she said.

According to her, the 2022 Foundry Class reinforces YouTube’s commitment to supporting Sub-Saharan artists as next generation global music stars, adding that the programme would ensure the artists had a successful music career.

SSA YouTube Music Lead, Addy Awofisayo, said that YouTube believed that lowering the barrier to entry would unlock the opportunities for music artists to create and connect with a global audience.

Awofisayo said Foundry would assist the artists in navigating a new increasingly digital industry to connect with fans and generate revenue.

She said that Foundry was designed for independent artists, who had a vision for their own success and to help them navigate the demands of today’s music industry.

According  to her, YouTube provides partner strategy support, marketing promotion, and seed funding for content development that can be used for video creation formats.

The 15 countries represented at the Foundry Class 2022 are the United States, Germany, Brazil, South Korea, Ghana, Nigeria, Mexico, Australia, United Kingdom, Colombia, France, Japan, India, Canada, Netherlands.

(NAN)