Afrochella will not return after five years of festivals celebrating Ghanaian music and culture, according to organisers.
The festival, which took place December 28-29, featured performances from the likes of Burna Boy and Skepta.
As per the BBC, co-founder Abdul Abdullah told attendees at the 7,000-capacity El-Wak Stadium in Accra, Ghana, that “this is the last Afrochella”.
While Abdullah did not give a reason for the end of the festival, it is thought that it could be related to the events of last October, which saw Coachella organisers sue the Ghanaian event for trademark infringement.
Coachella promoter Goldenvoice filed the copyright infringement lawsuit against the organisers of the Afrobeats music festival at a California district court. The lawsuit was filed several years after Goldenvoice parent company AEG warned Afrochella over the use of the name in 2019.
According to an article from Rolling Stone, AEG said: “We understand that you are using Afrochella as the name of a music and arts festival. We note that your event is part of a larger celebration that is designed to attract those living abroad (including those in the United States) to return home to Africa.
“Regardless of the celebration or event, your use of Afrochella as the name of a music and arts festival is highly likely to create a likelihood of confusion and mistake as to the affiliation, connection, or association of you with AEG and with Coachella.”