CNN African Voices celebrates continent’s young music stars

The Glo-sponsored CNN’s African Voices will this weekend celebrate young musical artistes who have taken African music scene by storm with new ideas and exceptional creativity.

Globacom in a statement stated that this week’s edition of the programme which will feature Noluvuyiso Mpofu and Busiswa of South Africa as well as Sauti Sol of Kenya promises to be as entertaining and informative as previous editions.

According to CNN, Mpofu, who opens doors with her sonorous voice is a powerful opera singer widely known and recognized in not only 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,” the CNN snippet on the programme stated. It also describes Busiswa as “a dance club sensation who is taking poetic license with pop music”.

In 2015, Mpofu gave a good account of herself and won third prize at an international competition, Operalia which takes place each year in a different opera house around the world. It was founded by the renowned opera star, Placido Dominigo. Earlier this year, at the finals of the 35th International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition in Cape Town, she ended up overall second, making it through the preliminary rounds, which began with 854 participants worldwide, and was one of four South Africans in the final 16.

Kenya’s leading afro-pop band widely recognized across Europe and the US, Sauti Sol won the Best Group award at 2016 MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs). They have also received  nominations and awards  including the Kisima Music Awards, Channel O Music Video Awards,  MTV Europe Music Award for Best African Act and BET Awards 2015 in Africa and across the world.  Some Nigerian artistes including Tu Face Idibia (Tu Baba) and Yemi Alade have also collaborated with Sauti Sol.

Famously known as Kalawa Chikita, Busiswa, is a self –styled “spoken word artist or poet.” She started out just as a poet in 2004 and gradually moved up to become a song maker releasing hit tracks some of which are Lahla and Ngoku.

African Voices is aired 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. There are also repeat broadcasts at 11.30 a.m. on Monday and 5.30 a.m. on Tuesday.