Airtel TRACE Music Star 2016 : Keri Hilson is the new mentor !

Airtel TRACE Music Star 2016 : Keri Hilson is the new mentor !

By Emmey keys 22 January 2016

R&B superstar Keri Hilson will succeed Akon as the mentor of the second edition of Airtel TRACE Music Star which kicks off on February 1, 2016. Airtel TRACE Music Star, the biggest pan-African talent search competition, is back and will see Keri Hilson on the hunt for Africa’s next music talent from February 1, 2016!

Now in its second season, this year’s  competition will see Niger join Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Zambia as the newest African territory to enter the competition. To participate, contestants will need to call in a short code number with their mobile phones, record their songs to stand a chance to become the next big music star in Africa.

With 2.3 million calls made in its previous season, the Airtel TRACE Music Star (ATMS) talent search is the biggest music competition to ever take place in Africa. It won the “Best Pan-African Initiative” accolade at the prestigious AfricaCom Awards held in Capetown, South Africa.

In 2015, Crowned Airtel TRACE Music star winner by megastar Akon, Mayunga won a record deal as well as promotion for a total value exceeding $500,000 and a mentorship programme with Akon. His first track “Nice Couple” reached number 1 on all major radio and TV charts in his home country of Tanzania. A few months ago, he was in Los Angeles with Akon to record his second single “Please Don’t Go Away” and shoot the music video.

This year, the grand prize comprises a mentorship program with multi-award winning American singer-songwriter Keri Hilson in Atlanta. The winner will not only star in their own music video alongside Keri Hilson; he/she will get an opportunity to record a duet with the “Knock You Down” songstress, as well as receive a signed contract with a major music label and worldwide media exposure through various TRACE’s platforms. The grand finale will be held in Lagos, Nigeria in Q2 2016.

More infos coming soon !