Audiomack has today announced the winners of the second edition of its Rising Star Challenge, held in collaboration with Afrochella.

The Rising Star challenge which was designed to increase the visibility of artists across Africa provided a platform for up-and-coming artists in the continent to submit their music portfolio, for a chance to be discovered by millions of people on the Audiomack platform alongside a cash prize of $1,000 and a studio session at BBNZ live - one of Ghana’s leading entertainment and artist management agency.

During the entry period of December 22nd, 2020 to January 2nd, 2021, over 300 entries were received from across the continent. Following this, 25 finalists were shortlisted from the vast pool of entries and included in a curated Audiomack playlist for the public to discover these emerging talents.

These submissions were further subjected to a careful review by prominent judges including Juls, King Promise and Olive Uche, Content Strategy Manager at Audiomack.

Following evaluation from the judges, Jess ETA, a Nigerian producer, singer and songwriter emerged the winner. Jess ETA highlighted his eclectic sound through his entry which displayed RnB, Soul, Pop and Rock, reflecting his versatility.

The first runner-up was Qudus Opeyemi “Headiess”, a Nigerian Afrobeats singer-songwriter from Osun state who aims to make a lasting impression in the music industry through his eclectic sounds.

Emerging as the second runner-up was Iguocho, a female singer-songwriter from Bamenda, Cameroon who created a sweet fusion of Afrobeats, soulful vocals and nostalgic R&B vibes.

“We are thrilled to be showcasing some of the continent’s most promising talents to millions of people on a global stage. Through our talent development initiatives, we look forward to unearthing the next generation of African musical superstars while ensuring the delivery of authentic and quality music to the global audience”, said Charlotte Bwana, Head of Business Development and Media Partnerships for Audiomack Africa.

While expressing his gratitude to Audiomack and Afrochella, Jess ETA, winner of the challenge said, “I am excited at this opportunity to bring my dream to life and I thank Audiomack and Afrochella for providing this platform to showcase my talent and take my music career to the next level.”

Audiomack continues to support the development of upcoming artists across Africa which would go a long way towards moving music forward in the region.