Tidal Rave 2024: An Experience for the People and the Culture

On October 12th, 2024, the 12th annual Tidal Rave Beach Festival occurred at La Palm Beach Hotel Resort in Accra, Ghana. This year’s theme was ‘Catch the Sun’. The main stage was designed to resemble a sun so that festival-goers could look up at the sun as their favorite artists graced the stage all through the night.

Tidal Rave Main Stage

The festival starred rising African artists along with some of Ghana’s biggest artists who were set to perform. The talented bunch included LalixLola, Black Sherif, Stonebwoy, Kidi, Sarkodie, Edem, and R2Bees. Now, I could just give you a recap, but if you do a quick search, you’ll find so many, so instead, I’ll tell you about how beautiful it was to see Ghanaian youth embrace their culture to the tune of their favorite artists.

R2Bees on stage

Lali x Lola on stage

Edem on stage

Music festivals happen all around the world. However, their cultural significance is not fully acknowledged. A music festival is more than a concert; it’s a place where youth get to be young. A place where couples hold on to each other and dance. Where random strangers find themselves yelling lyrics at each other. A place where the problems plaguing you can leave…mostly because your phone is dead and you have no choice but to ignore whatever was wrong. Tidal Rave was no different, except there’s another factor that is so important.

Tidal Rave goers at the Absa Ignition Market

When the large crowds of Ghanaian youth flooded the festival grounds awaiting their favorite performers, I saw something more than a concert. I saw young people trying to have fun. I saw super fans excited to finally see their Global Ghanaian Artist, who most likely went to the same secondary school as them. I saw people looking up to people who had made it and looked at them in hope. “If they could do it, so could I,” is what I heard their eyes say as they watched the stellar performances. I saw people who just wanted to dance and sing to artists they could relate to. It is almost like superheroes returning home. The people on stage had degrees just like theirs, childhoods quite similar, and spoke their language. They were the same, and the artists didn’t hesitate to reiterate that in the way they sang and interacted with the audience. Artists like Edem began his performance adorned with Ghanaian cultural attire, with him sitting on a throne as he belted out one of his biggest hits. Stonebwoy decorated the stage with Ghanaian flags waving from left to right as he performed for his people. This is no different from any of the other artists who fully represented their culture on that stage. However, there is something in particular that I witnessed. 

Tidal Rave Goers at the Absa Ignition Market

Just a few days before this festival, protests were carried out due to the issue of Galamsey (The illegal mining of gold in Ghana). The youth came out in their numbers for their voices to be heard. They came out in numbers because they were sick and tired of their water bodies being polluted, and they came out to fight for what they knew was right. Strikes had just commenced (and, as of now, are still going on), and it was a nationwide shutdown. Students couldn’t go to school, many people couldn’t receive their Ghana Cards, and plans were completely thrown off. 

Times are not easy; there is always one injustice or the other, but the ability to bring people together to forget about everything for a few hours is usually possessed by the beauty of music. Music has the ability to enter your body with slyness and allow you to move in a way you haven’t moved before. It’s a drug that’s not too addictive, but people look for it in trying times. Tidal Rave 2024 was able to soothe the youth’s craving in completely controlled conditions. It allowed people to be free while swaying to the tunes of their favorite artists. It was an experience for the people and the culture. This year was an absolute banger, and we know that next year will be 10 times better.