To celebrate Africa Month and the many wonderful aspects of the continent, we asked a group of visionary musicians and creative minds to define what Africa means to them. “African music is where it all starts for me,” Ivorian-American singer-songwriter Chrystel tells Apple Music. With an upbringing that took her from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Atlanta—and a family intent on maintaining its Francophone-African community—Chrystel’s connections to the continent run deep. Here, she shares a timeline of African hits that continue to punctuate her journey, including tracks from Koffi Olomidé, Meiway, Magic System, Ernesto Djédjé and Monique Séka, and contemporary hits from MHD, Rema, Jeune Lio and more. “These are just some of the songs I grew up hearing on the way to school, around the house, the memorable bass I heard at parties—and some of the music I love today.”