By Modupe Gbadeyanka
On Sunday, March 26, 2023, The Voice Africa will air on free-to-air TV stations across 14 countries in Africa, where the main sponsor of the show, Airtel Africa, operates.
This would excite fun-seekers on the continent as they would be glued to their television screens for 25 weeks.
A statement from the firm said one show would be aired per week, with the first episodes being blind auditions based solely on the talents’ voices and not looks.
It was stated that The Voice Africa would follow the format of the global show, starting out with blind auditions, battle rounds, knockouts, playoffs and concluding with the live shows.
The Voice Africa is expected to attract both a pan-African and global audience, featuring a high-profile panel of coaches and TV hosts who will witness one of the 100 selected talents eventually crowned The Voice Africa.
About 78,804 registrations were received from Nigeria, Kenya, Seychelles, Tchad, Uganda, Congo, Zambia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Gabon, Madagascar, Malawi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
However, 12,308 talents were selected for auditions, and a total of 100, seven per country, in addition to two wild cards, were chosen to proceed to the live shows in Lagos, Nigeria.
“We are thrilled to finally bring Africa’s exceptional musical talents to the world through the continent’s version of the global award-winning show, The Voice.
“The Voice Africa will display African musical talent, delivering excitement and entertainment to millions across the world, whilst showcasing amazing voices, performances, and intrigues.
“It is an opportunity to celebrate and contribute to Africa’s music scene through real-life stories of resilience, persistence, struggle, and success that some of you can relate to and will undoubtedly impact your lives,” the Group Chief Commercial Officer of Airtel Africa, Mr Anthony Shiner, stated.
In 2021, Airtel Africa announced a groundbreaking $57 million investment in education in partnership with UNICEF that aims to provide and increase access to digital education for the betterment of Africa’s children’s futures.
Other initiatives Airtel Africa has been involved in over the years include the MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs), the Zain Africa Challenge, which brought university students together in a quiz contest, and the Airtel Rising Stars, a football tournament for Under-15 boys and girls.
These are initiatives of the company to showcase the youthful talent on the continent.
Airtel Africa partnered with FAME Studios Africa to broadcast The Voice Africa on the continent.
