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Three-time Grammy Award-winning composer and producer Wouter Kellerman has said Africa now has a major opportunity to reshape global perceptions by telling its own stories in a broader and more authentic way.
Kellerman made the remarks at the Global Reputation Forum in the United Kingdom while speaking on the role of media and entertainment in shaping public trust.
According to him, Africa has historically been portrayed through a limited lens by traditional media, leaving out the continent’s depth, diversity and richness.
At the Global Reputation Forum, 3x Grammy Award-winning composer and producer @wouterkellerman says Africa now has an opportunity to tell a fuller, more diverse story to a global audience eager for its creativity and identity. pic.twitter.com/dhmQU4VM5K
— News Central TV (@NewsCentralTV) April 24, 2026
“In Africa, I think our story has been told in a very narrow way by traditional media in the past,” he said.
He noted that changing media platforms and new global audiences now give Africans the chance to present a fuller and more accurate narrative to the world.
“We now have the opportunity to tell a much more diverse, interesting and full story,” Kellerman said.
He added that there is growing international interest in African culture, values and perspectives, which creates an opening for authentic storytelling.
“The rest of the world is hungry for the way of being, for what we have in Africa,” he said, adding that now is the time “to be really authentic and tell that story.”
Speaking on how he became a three-time Grammy winner, Kellerman said authenticity in music was central to his success, stressing that genuine expression creates powerful emotional connections across cultures.
“I think music creates a connection,” he said.
He explained that when artists remain true to themselves and tell honest stories, audiences respond even when they do not understand the language or cultural background.
“So the first step is when you make music and when you’re being authentic, when you’re being yourself, when you tell your real story, you create a connection.
“People don’t have to understand your language. They don’t have to understand your context, but they can understand the feeling that the music gives them.
Kellerman added that music has the ability to unite people at a deeper human level, creating pathways for trust and mutual understanding.
“Somehow we reach back thousands of years to a common ancestry and connect,” he said.
“With that connection, that’s the first step towards understanding, trust and reputation.”
The 2026 Global Reputation Forum convened global leaders, policymakers, innovators, and influential voices to explore the power of reputation, ethical leadership, and Africa’s rising global influence.
