African Music Must Retain Cultural Authenticity: Producer Andrawine

Renowned music video producer Agah Chinecherem Alexandra, popularly known as Andrawine, has emphasized that Africa’s expanding global influence in music can only be sustained through cultural authenticity, intentionality, and high-level creative planning.

In an interview with Saturday Sun, Andrawine said global relevance in visual storytelling requires a balance between cultural identity and world-class production standards. She noted that African creators must remain rooted in their heritage while meeting international expectations for quality.

According to her, achieving this balance begins with strong pre-production processes, including detailed planning, clean shot lists, clear art direction, and a fully aligned production crew. She explained that such preparation enables the seamless use of advanced lighting, camera movement, set design, and editing techniques without losing the African essence.

Andrawine, whose credits include Survivor by Charlotte featuring Davido, Bounce by Bella Shmurda featuring Seyi Vibez, and Afroculture by Flavour featuring Baaba Maal, said each project requires understanding its “heartbeat.” Her creative approach, she noted, is built on honouring culture, understanding the artist, and remaining true to emotional depth.

She added that this philosophy is why her visuals vary widely, from raw street-style energy to bold global aesthetics and culturally grounded elegance.

“At the end of the day, I create from authenticity,” she said. “Culture isn’t something I copy; it’s something I respect and interpret through a cinematic, feminine lens.”