Audiomack has announced its official partnership with Afrochella, one of Africa’s biggest music and arts festivals and the official closing event for Ghana’s 2019 Year of the Return, to increase visibility and support for emerging musical talent throughout Africa.
To kickstart the international alliance, both Audiomack and Afrochella have teamed up to host Rising Star, a platform and contest to uncover up-and-coming talent across the continent.
For Rising Star, hundreds of African artists submitted their music to Audiomack for the chance to perform at Afrochella in Accra, Ghana alongside a powerhouse lineup on December 28 at El Wak Stadium.
The 25 best submissions have been selected for the official Rising Star playlist, launching today, where Audiomack users have the chance to vote for their favourite songs by streaming, favouriting, and sharing (a combination of re-ups and playlist adds).
The artist with the highest engagement will win a $1,000 USD cash prize and a studio session at BBNZ live, while the top seven artists will receive a slot to perform onstage at Afrochella!
The contest closes December 17, so listen to the Rising Star playlist now, find your favourite songs, and make sure you play, favourite, and share them! Every engagement counts.
In addition to the Rising Star challenge, Audiomack will also be sponsoring a panel discussion at Afrochella to promote the visibility of African talent and community empowerment. The panel will be comprised of music and media leaders such as Ivie Ani, Tenille Clarke, producer Juls, and more.
About Rising Star, Afrochella founder Abdul Karim-Abdullah commented, “This partnership is our way of ensuring Africa’s rising stars have an opportunity to maximize their reach; as well as ensure a fair and transparent process for selecting opening acts.”
“From day one, we’ve recognized the importance of African music and artists to the rest of the world and to our platform,” added Audiomack CMO and Co-Founder David Ponte. “By investing back into African culture and communities through events like Afrochella, we want to provide exposure and support to talented artists across the continent.”
This year marks the third annual Afrochella Festival and the official closing event for Ghana’s Year of Return—a campaign marking the 400 years of the first enslaved African arriving in Jamestown, Virginia.
