Pan-African singing competition, Old Mutual Amazing Voices singing competition is set for a return on small screens across the African continent from April 11, bringing cheer to a continent ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The auditions for the second season of the reality television series that started in October last year recorded over 500 online video entries.
After the initial screening process, Africa’s top unsigned talent attended closed auditions before celebrity selectors in their home countries.
The in-country selectors and assistants included; famous gospel singer Tembalami Tagwirei and radio and television personality MisRed (Zimbabwe), E-Kelly and Aramide from Nigeria, Pauline Odduro and Reggie Rockstone (Ghana), Sanapei Tande and Ted Josiah (Kenya) and Buhlebendalo Mda and Morena Sefatsa (South Africa).
From the auditions, 10 Acapella groups, two from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa were selected to experience the grueling judging process as they displayed their passion and determination competing for the whopping US$ 100 000 grand prizes.
The groups will set out for an intense musical, educational and inspirational boot camp experience at Sun City in South Africa.
The talent’s journey to stardom will be closely monitored by the experienced judging table from each of the countries and supported by the show advisor Zwai Bala.
The judges are Zimbabwe’s afro-pop and RnB powerhouse Ammara Brown, Evelle, a previous Nigerian Idols winner, singer and collaborator, Kenya’s Filah Tuju, renowned as a performer, voice coach, writer and producer and founder of a Music Academy, Ghana’s Trigmatic, a multi-award winner rapper, composer and songwriter and South Africa’s Vusi Nova, the best afro album and best male awards winner.
Old Mutual Zimbabwe Group Communication and Brand Manager Lawrence Mawoni said Zimbabwe is well represented in this year’s edition of the competition.
“We are enormously impressed by the number of people who auditioned remotely despite the global pandemic, they took time and commitment to rehearse and perform,” he said.
“For updates, exciting behind-the-scenes footage and exclusive content go to oldmutual.co.za/amazingvoices. Or catch the show on the following channels for the respective countries, Zambezi Magic in Zimbabwe at 17:00, Simulcast on Mzansi Magic and Mzansi Wethu in South Africa at 17:00, Africa Magic in Ghana at 15:00, Maisha Magic East in Kenya at 18:00, Africa Magic in Nigeria at 16:00.”
