Young Singers Showcased on Glo-Sponsored African Voices

The next episode of the TV magazine, CNN’s African Voices, sponsored by Globacom, is showcasing young musical artistes who are breaking new grounds and providing inspiration to their peers across the continent.

The programme is airing on CNN International at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, 4.30 p.m. on Saturday, and at 12.30 a.m. and 7.30 p.m. on Sunday. Repeat broadcasts air at 11.30 a.m. on Monday and 5.30 a.m. on Tuesday.

The programme sponsor, Globacom, said in a statement that this week’s programme will be as entertaining and informative as previous editions. The bright young singers to be featured on the programme are Noluvuyiso Mpofu and Busiswa of South Africa and Sauti Sol of Kenya.

According to the programme producers, Mpofu is a powerful opera singer who is using her voice to open doors and turn heads not just in her native South Africa but also on the African continent and beyond.

“In Nairobi we catch up with Sauti Sol, a band whose special sound makes you want get up and dance– just ask President Obama,” CNN said on the programme vignette.
 
At the 2015 Operalia, an international competition founded by the renowned opera star Placido Dominigo, Mpofu won the third prize. At the finals of the 35th International Hans Gabor Belvederce Singing Competition took place in Cape Town earlier this year, she made it through the preliminary rounds, which began with 854 participants worldwide, and was one of four South Africans in the final 16. She ended up overall second.

CNN described the second act, Sauti Sol as Kenya’s leading afro-pop band which has gained international attention with shows in Europe and the US. The band won the Best Group award at 2016 MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs), and received both local and international accolades and nominations including the Kisima Music Awards, Channel O Music Video Awards,  MTV Europe Music Award for Best African Act and BET Awards 2015.

Some of the band’s notable works include collaborations with some Nigerian artistes such as Tu Face Idibia (Tu Baba) and Yemi Alade.

CNN describes Busiswa as “a dance club sensation who is taking poetic license with pop music”.  Busiswa, describes herself as “a spoken word artist or poet”. She is also famously known as Kalawa Chikita. She started out just as a poet in 2004 and rose quickly to become a maker of songs which easily became club ‘bangers’. They include Lahla and Ngoku.