With a wealth of expertise leading teams and curating culturally inclined experiences, Adedotun “Michael” Adekanmbi is not only a seasoned entertainment professional within the global creative economy. The music & marketing professional who has worked across various industries and multi-national companies including Afro-urban entertainment giants, Trace; is leading a new frontier for creatives in the diaspora.

His recent progression into music production, events curation and community building for Sub-Saharan creatives in the diaspora with LemonVinyl is testament to the cross-border representation that the culture now enjoys. When asked what LemonVinyl does, Adedotun or “Dotunonamission” as he is fondly called these days replies without hesitation: “We are building a community to highlight diaspora experiences.” That simple ethos now anchors a platform perfectly positioned within one of the world’s fastest-growing sectors — the creative economy.

Globally, the creative economy is on track to reach trillions of dollars in value within the next few years. Africa’s share, driven by film, music, and fashion, is expanding rapidly. Nigeria is at the forefront: Nollywood already contributes more than 1% of the nation’s GDP, while Afrobeats has surged into a global phenomenon, with emerging artists, streaming numbers and demand for international collaboration multiplying year after year.

LemonVinyl is seizing this momentum by building cultural bridges across the diaspora. Founded as a music tribute platform, it has grown into a hub for emerging talent, hosting event experiences, building communities, and forging industry partnerships aimed at improving cultural relations in music. Its flagship events — Lemon Room and Couch Pot8toes — provide stages for diaspora creatives to showcase their craft and connect directly with audiences.

In their 4 years of growth, Manchester, Leicester and Dublin have become focal points of Adedotun and his Co-founder’s vision.In the year 2025, the brand has quickly gained recognition across Manchester’s vibrant cultural scene, capped by its recent alliance with the Manchester International Festival (MIF25) where they debuted their upcoming single, “Back To Me” executive produced by LemonVinyl’s Co-founders, Deolu, Hakeeb and Adedotun. Through this affiliation, LemonVinyl gave diaspora artists of Sub-Sahran descent a rare opportunity to perform on a global stage, strengthening the visibility of African creativity in Europe.

“Our mission is to create opportunities for voices that might otherwise be overlooked,” says Adedotun. “Community isn’t just a buzzword for us — it’s the infrastructure for sustainable creativity.

Recently, the brand announced a new content partnership with Trace Urban to highlight diaspora artiste of Sub-Saharan African descent who needed to connect with the grassroot audience back home (Africa). This initiative – “Discover Diapsora” which features only emerging talents gives visibility to a cross-border connectivity, community building for talents and cultural identity.

With millions of people worldwide now identifying as creators, and more joining each year, LemonVinyl’s community-first approach is both timely and strategic. It’s vision is clear: to nurture a new generation of African and diaspora talent, ensuring they not only survive but succeed in an ever-changing digital ecosystem.

Or, as Michael Adedotun sums it up: “For us, it’s about people, culture, and community. That’s the heartbeat of LemonVinyl.”