Afric Simone

The Profile

Mozambican singer and entertainer who achieved international success in the mid-1970s with the upbeat singles Ramaya and Hafanana, becoming a disco-pop staple across Europe.

Afric Simone is a Mozambican pop/disco singer who rose to fame in Europe in the mid-1970s with hits such as Ramaya and Hafanana, and he has continued to perform and record since.

One affectionate, memory-soaked review of Ramaya celebrates Afric Simone’s infectious rhythms and nonsensical choruses. The reviewer recalls buying the 45 in 1975 at age 9 and spinning it all summer. It’s framed as an early brush with world music and an earworm that still returns with tenderness.