Dapper Live, the live events division of Dapper Group, has been officially confirmed by Guinness World Records™ as the title holder for the Largest Orchestra for an Afrobeats Concert. The record was achieved at Trench Symphony: The Dapper Live Experience, held on December 16, 2025, at the Balmoral Eko Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. The landmark production brought together more than 80 orchestra members performing live alongside leading Afrobeats artists, setting a new global benchmark for orchestral presentation within African popular music.
Conceived and executive produced by Damilola “Dapper” Akinwunmi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Dapper Group, Trench Symphony reimagined Afrobeats through the scale and sophistication of a full live orchestra. The concert featured performances from T.I Blaze, TML Vibez, Bhadboi OML, Rybeena, Lasmid, Cazulee, Kashcoming and DWillsHarmony, with special guest appearances by Fuji Legends – King Dr. Saheed Osupa and KS1 Malaika.
Under the musical direction of Bazzman Sam and led by conductors Fatola and Clintonic, the evening fused classical orchestration with the rhythmic dynamism of Afrobeats, delivering a culturally resonant and technically ambitious live experience. Serving as multi-role coordinator, Kelechi “Chopper” Aquari played a pivotal multi-role coordination function across the production. The creative direction of the show was helmed by Director K, while sound was overseen by multi-role contributor Temitayo “Tee Y Mix” Ibitoye with engineering by Mr Bassey, ensuring the balance between orchestra and artists was delivered with precision. The entire event was directed by Dunni Akinwunmi, who oversaw the production logistics as well as Mojoyin of Owambe Events who was the show producer and ensured the seamless execution of the record-setting evening from start to finish.
The confirmation by Guinness World Records underscores Afrobeats’ continued evolution as a dominant global genre.
As orchestral collaborations increasingly shape contemporary music worldwide, Dapper Live’s achievement positions Lagos at the forefront of this creative movement, reinforcing the city’s role as the cultural capital of Afrobeats and a driver of innovation within the global music ecosystem.
“Trench Symphony was born from a simple but powerful belief: that African music, in its truest and most authentic form, belongs on the world’s biggest stages,” said Damilola “Dapper” Akinwunmi. “We did not set out simply to break a record, we set out to create a defining cultural moment. This achievement demonstrates what is possible when African vision, excellence and scale converge. From Lagos to the world, Afrobeats continues to expand its creative boundaries.”
Speaking to the press, Lasmid also shared “Being part of Trench Symphony was a powerful moment for me as an artist. Seeing Afrobeats performed with a full orchestra showed just how far our sound has travelled. As a Ghanaian artist, it makes me proud to be part of a movement where African music keeps breaking new ground globally.”
Following the record confirmation, Dapper Live has announced plans to take Trench Symphony on a major 2026 tour across ten Nigerian states before expanding to international markets including London, Birmingham and Dublin, as well as Paris and select cities in Canada. Tour dates and ticketing information will be announced in the coming months as Dapper Live advances its mission to present African music on the world stage in its most ambitious and authentic form.
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