Michael Tubes’ Burna Boy Photo Nominated at Abbey Road Music Photography Awards 2025

Abbey Road Music Photography has announced that a striking image of Burna Boy, captured by photographer Michael Tubes during his headline performance at the London Stadium, has been shortlisted in the Music Moment of the Year category at the prestigious Abbey Road Music Photography Awards 2025.

The competition, which received more than 20,000 entries from 30 countries this year, celebrates the best in global music photography. Securing a place on the shortlist is a remarkable achievement for Tubes, whose work continues to document and champion African music on the world stage.

Public voting for the Music Moment of the Year award is now open and will remain live until 23 September.

In addition, all shortlisted works will be showcased at a free exhibition at Outernet London from 19–23 September, allowing visitors to view the images and cast their votes in person.

Supporters are encouraged to vote for Michael Tubes’ Burna Boy photograph to help secure the award.

who is Michael Tubes 

Michael Tubes: Preserving African Music Through the Lens

Michael Tubes is a distinguished music and documentary photographer, photojournalist, and curator whose work is dedicated to preserving and promoting African music and culture through visual storytelling. As the founder of the Sounds of Africa Museum, he has established an archive that documents the history of African music, highlighting its profound influence on global culture.

Tubes began archiving African music in response to the lack of a structured documentation system for African artists, performances, and music culture. His efforts have been instrumental in chronicling the evolution of Afrobeats and other African music genres, ensuring that the journeys of artists and the growth of the industry are visually recorded for future generations.

Notable Contributions

Photography and Archiving
Michael Tubes has captured some of the most iconic moments in African music. From Afrobeats to Highlife and Juju, his photographs span concerts, festivals, and behind-the-scenes moments, offering a rare and authentic visual history of African music’s progression.

Exhibitions and Curation
Tubes’ curatorial work has brought African music photography to major platforms, with exhibitions that celebrate the culture’s legacy and evolution:

• Sounds of Africa (2015) – A photographic exhibition honoring African music legends.
• Afrobeats: Through The Eyes of the Fans (2016) – Exploring the role of fans in the global rise of Afrobeats.
• Women in African Music (2021) – Highlighting the contributions of female artists to the African music industry.
• Davido: The Baddest 3D Photo Exhibition (2022) – A groundbreaking visual showcase on the career and influence of Afrobeats superstar Davido.

Cultural Impact
Through his lens, Tubes has documented the transformation of Afrobeats from a Nigerian genre into a worldwide cultural force. His photography has captured performances by leading artists such as Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, Rema, Yemi Alade, and Tiwa Savage, providing a visual chronicle of a movement that continues to shape global music.

Legacy and Influence

Michael Tubes’ work is a vital contribution to the preservation of African music history. His passion for storytelling through photography bridges Africa and its diaspora with global audiences, ensuring that African music’s past and present are remembered and celebrated. By creating a lasting visual archive, he has cemented his role as one of the foremost documentarians of Afrobeats and African music culture.