Talking Tech With Creatives

From Music Producer to Tech Founder: Melody Nehemiah on Building Songdis for African Artists

In this episode, I speak with Melody Nehemiah, CEO and founder of Songdis, a platform helping African artists and labels get their music onto global streaming services and collect royalties. Melody shares how he sold CDs as a child, produced beats, and managed artists before identifying a major gap in the music ecosystem. He experienced how hard it was for African artists to distribute music, withdraw royalties, and navigate payment systems not designed for them. That frustration drove him to start Songdis. We discuss what it means to build a tech platform from lived experience, how African founders bootstrap ideas into reality, and why infrastructure, community, and trust help creatives grow. Melody describes the differences between record labels and distribution platforms, outlines how Songdis supports artists at different levels, and explains why Africa should build more of its own technology systems rather than rely on the rest of the world. Whether your interest lies in music, technology, African innovation, creative independence, or the future of digital infrastructure on the continent, this conversation offers unique insights. Highlights * Melody’s journey from music producer to founder * The real problems African artists face with royalties * Why Songdis was created * Record labels versus distribution platforms * Payments, ownership and control * Building African tech for African creatives * AI, infrastructure and the future of music on the continent Songdis was recognised by the NBA (National Basketball Association) through its accelerator programme, highlighting its innovation in music rights and payments.   Connect with Melody on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melodysongzz/ [https://www.instagram.com/melodysongzz/]   Connect with me: https://stellaoni.com/ [https://stellaoni.com/]   Social media - stellaoni_official

AI, Authorship and Discoverability: What I Learned at London Book Fair 2026 - Ep 30

In this solo episode of Talking Tech with Creatives, I share what stood out to me from attending the London Book Fair, especially around publishing, technology, discoverability, and the future of books. I reflect on the UK government’s controversial AI copyright proposal, the strong pushback from the creative industries, and why this matters so much for writers and anyone building an audience. I also talk through some of the most interesting ideas I picked up from the fair: why print is still holding strong, why readers are moving back towards more physical and comforting experiences, and why authors now need to think about General Engine Optimization (GEO) and beyond SEO and pay attention to how AI-driven search is changing discoverability. This is an episode for writers, creatives, and publishing watchers who want to understand where things are going and how to stay visible in a changing landscape.    Episode 13 - Navigating the digital shift - Insights on writing seo and ai with Abidemi Sanusi https://talkingtechwithcreatives.com/episode/navigating-the-digital-shift-insights-on-writing-seo-and-ai-with-abidemi-sanusi [https://talkingtechwithcreatives.com/episode/navigating-the-digital-shift-insights-on-writing-seo-and-ai-with-abidemi-sanusi]   Schema.Org https://schema.org/ [https://schema.org/]   Pubishing Perspective https://publishingperspectives.com/?s=london+book@UC1eU2S9cTu-HcN3Yn8a-QmQ   ISSN 2978-8307

Black Writing, Bold Futures: Dr Kadija Sesay on Activism, Archives, and Technology - Ep 29

Dr Kadija George Sesay has spent decades championing Black writers, preserving overlooked stories, and building Pan-African literary networks that stretch across continents. In this rich conversation, I sit down with her to explore what it really means to decolonise the bookshelf and ensure that our stories are not only published, but preserved for future generations. Kadija speaks about founding Sable LitMag, curating festivals such as the International Black Speculative Writing Festival, and her extensive work with radical independent presses. She explains how Pan-Africanism operates in practice, why independent publishing and ownership are crucial, and how collective memory and community gatherings help us keep our histories alive. We also discuss how technology, online platforms, and now AI can support preservation and access without losing the heart of the work. Kadija shares her excitement about her upcoming Fulbright journey to the United States, her ongoing research into Black publishers and Pan-Africanism, and what she hopes future readers and scholars will discover about the Black writing emerging today. If you care about literature, archives, cultural memory, or how our stories survive in a rapidly changing world, this episode offers a powerful and generous masterclass.   If you enjoyed the episode, consider sharing it with someone who loves books, archives, or Black history.   Connect with Kadija * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kadija-sesay-00323b4/ * Interview on Africa in Words: https://africainwords.com/2022/03/23/qa-scholar-activist-kadija-sesay-on-afripoetree/ * Review of the International Black Speculative Writing Festival (Vector Magazine): https://vector-bsfa.com/2024/02/27/review-of-the-international-black-speculative-writing-festival-2024/   Connect with me * About me: https://stellaonithewriter.com/about/ * Podcast website: https://talkingtechwithcreatives.com/episodes * Substack: https://stellaoni.substack.com/ * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTechWithCreatives * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-oni-065788140/ Thank you for reading and listening. I hope this episode leaves you thinking about your own role in preserving stories, and the ways you can share what you know with the people coming after you.  ISSN 2978-8307

From Lion King to Iwaju: Hamid Ibrahim of Kugali Media on Building African Worlds That Travel - ep 28

In this episode, I speak with Hamid Ibrahim, creator and production designer of Iwaju, the groundbreaking Afro-futuristic series produced in collaboration between Kugali Media and Disney. We dive into his journey from portrait artist, to Hollywood VFX work on films such as The Lion King, Dumbo and Doctor Dolittle, to building one of the most important African creative IP houses of our time. Hamid shares the origins of Iwaju, how a BBC interview unexpectedly led Disney to their door, and what it took to build a futuristic Lagos that resonated globally. We talk about African IP, ownership, investment, the realities of raising funds as an African founder, and why authentic stories still matter in an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. If you care about African storytelling, animation, technology, creativity or the future of global IP, this conversation offers valuable insight. Highlights: • How Kugali Media caught the attention of Disney • The making of Iwaju and its cultural impact • African IP as a global asset • The business realities behind storytelling • AI and what it can and cannot replace • Why meaning and authenticity still matter • Building creative businesses without a roadmap   Guest Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hamidibrahimportfolio Instagram (Kugali): https://www.instagram.com/kugalimedia LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/hamid-ibrahim-564892a7 Twitter: https://x.com/hamid_portfolio   My Links: About Stella: https://stellaonithewriter.com/about Podcast Website: https://talkingtechwithcreatives.com/episodes YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingTechWithCreatives Substack: https://stellaoni.substack.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-oni-065788140 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-oni-065788140]      ISSN 2978-8307

Rasheda Ashanti Malcolm on Building Platforms for Women Writers - ep 27

This week I have a lively conversation with author and literary activist Rasheda Ashanti Malcolm about building platforms for women of colour from the 1990s to today. Rasheda traces her path from founding Candace magazine to writing fiction, creating the WILDE Foundation, running writing retreats in Jamaica, and launching the H&F Writers’ Festival in West London. We explore how technology and community remove old gatekeepers, the healing power of journaling, and WILDE’s future plans to expand retreats, mentorship, and international collaborations. It is an inspiring story of creativity, persistence, and the ongoing work of empowering women’s voices through literature, activism, and connection. Key takeaways: • Community and craft can coexist and strengthen each other. • Journaling helps survivors find voice and confidence. • Technology widens access and continuity beyond physical events. • WILDE seeks collaborators, mentors, and publishing partners to platform emerging writers. We also spent time talking about Jamaica, where Rasheda runs her writing retreats and where I recently attended the Calabash Festival. Sadly, the country has since been hit by Hurricane Melissa and suffered devastating damage. Journalist Nadine White has compiled a helpful list of trusted aid sources here: Hurricane Melissa – How Can We Help [https://www.blackcurrentnews.co.uk/p/hurricane-melissa-how-can-we-help]   Please do your due diligence before making any donation. You can read more of Nadine White’s reporting here: https://www.independent.co.uk/author/nadine-white [https://www.independent.co.uk/author/nadine-white]. Explore more: Talking Tech with Creatives – talkingtechwithcreatives.com [https://talkingtechwithcreatives.com] Podcast Instagram – @talkingtechwithcreatives [https://instagram.com/talkingtechwithcreatives] My author website – stellaonithewriter.com [https://stellaonithewriter.com] Author Instagram – @stellaonithewriter [https://instagram.com/stellaonithewriter] Rasheda Ashanti Malcolm – @ashantirashedaauthor [https://instagram.com/ashantirashedaauthor] H&F Writers’ Festival – handfwritersfestival.co.uk [https://handfwritersfestival.co.uk] H&F Writers’ Festival Instagram – @hfwritersfest [https://instagram.com/hfwritersfest] If you enjoy these conversations, subscribe to Talking Tech with Creatives, follow us on Instagram, and share the episode to help amplify the stories of women shaping creativity and culture.    ISSN 2978-8307