A new mobile music streaming service called The Kleek will debut in Africa as the result of a partnership between Samsung and Universal Music Group. The two companies are working with African and international record labels on the platform.
The Kleek will be free and available exclusively on Samsung smartphones for the first two years, THR reports. The service was first announced at the Samsung Africa Forum in Cape Town, South Africa.
"Samsung recognizes that the African market is very different to that of its European, Asian and American counterparts," said Thabiet Allie, head of content and services at Samsung Electronics Africa. "We are thus, through our Built for Africa initiatives, focused on building services and partnering with the best local and international content owners, and this partnership is testament to that."
It isn't immediately known whether only UMG artists will be showcased on The Kleek, which will make music searchable by artist, genre and give users access to celebrity playlists, album previews and other content.
"By investing in the Kleek we're providing a platform for the very best of African talent to reach a wider audience," said Max Hole, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group International. "With the explosion of smartphones and other mobile devices, the Kleek has the potential to attract tens of millions of music fans across Africa."
Randall Abrahams, managing director, Universal Music South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, said the service aims to become a platform for emerging artists as well as international stars. Spotify is not yet available in Africa, but music from some of its artists, such as Zambia's Zone Fam, has made its way onto the service. The Kleek is launching with a library just "hundreds" of songs deep, The Verge reports.
The Kleek will initially be available only in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and Angola. Eventually, it will be rolled out across the continent.
