TO celebrate Women’s Month, locals Mthokozisi Mabuza and Edgar Muzah (who owns ‘It Sounds Fresh’ music production company), have launched a project called “Her Voice Her Sound”.
The project aims to identify and uplift unsigned, untapped, and undiscovered female talent in Nelson Mandela Bay and the Eastern Cape.
The project seeks to empower female artists by providing them with an opportunity to record, produce, and release their music on a national and global stage.
Five winners will be selected to have their singles produced and recorded by It Sounds Fresh, and their music will be distributed and marketed to jump-start their careers.
The project is open to female artists who have been performing music for years but have never had the opportunity to record their music. The selection process will begin on July 26, when the public can vote for their favourite artist, and the five finalists will be announced on August 2.
The public will then have the opportunity to vote for their favourite artist. Winners will be announced on August 12.
The five winning artists will perform at a showcase event at the end of August, and their songs will form part of a compilation EP that will be released in celebration of Women’s Month.
Edgar Muzah and Mthokozisi Mabuza, renowned musicians and producers are partnering with REkre8, Spaan Hub, Express and Bay FM on this project. Muzah and Mabuza have worked with some of the finest musicians in South Africa and across Africa and have established themselves as formidable talent in the music industry.
“We felt compelled to be part of this project because I think it’s about time that Gqeberha and the Eastern Cape province produce our own music and export it on a national level. If you’ve noticed, artists who come from this province often travel to either Johannesburg or Cape Town to get discovered and make a success of their careers. However in the KwaZulu-Natal province, artists record their music there and are based there. Why can’t we do the same for our artists?”
Muzah also mentioned the importance of starting this project with supporting female artists, “We’re piloting this project with female artists to say, ‘ladies first’, and that’s why it’s happening in August, women’s month. For me, I think we need to do better for women on a daily basis – protect and safeguard them every single day.
But women’s months means we need to turn up the volume and be loud about raising awareness on the issues women face, and fighting that they get equal opportunities, even in the entertainment industry.”
In conclusion, Mabuza said, “Her Voice Her Sound is a unique opportunity for female artists to break into the music industry and make their voices heard. With the support of It Sounds Fresh and Edgar Muzah, these talented women will have the chance to take their music to the next level and inspire others with their talent.”
