From 11 to 16 March 2026, the Centre national de la musique (CNM) and the French Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire will collaborate with the Ghanaian–British company rain.Labs (a company with deep knowledge of the African music landscape and a strong track record) to organise five days of songwriting sessions bringing together French and West African talent in Accra, Ghana.
Each studio day, participants will be split into four groups and will work collectively in one of the four studios available. This process will be repeated each day.
The songwriting sessions will focus on “mainstream” genres, including influences from afrobeats, pop, rap, soul, R&B, singer-songwriter, highlife and more.
Participants are strongly encouraged to be accompanied by a member of their professional team during their stay in Ghana. The CNM can assist in organising a series of professional meetings with relevant contacts: labels, promoters, publishers, etc.
Applications are accepted from French and West African artists, although travel costs are only covered for West African artists (excluding Ghana).
For West African artists (excluding Ghana), the CNM covers:
- studio time
- the organisation and coordination of writing teams
- the organisation of the listening session
- lunches (except on the rest day)
The French Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire covers international transport and accommodation in Accra.
