MTN Bushfire unearthed the future of Eswatini’s music industry with the newly crowned MTN Bushfire Firefly Winners at the competition’s Grand Finale which was held on Friday 26 April, 2024 at House On Fire.
MTN Bushfire Firefly is pleased to unveil the Top 3 for the 7th edition of the MTN Bushfire Firefly youth music competition, Ohtomn Sally, Stella Jacobs, and Fisiwe who have earned the grand prize of a live performance slot at the globally acclaimed MTN Bushfire festival! You can see them set the Ballantine’s Firefly Stage ablaze over the festival weekend from 31 May to 2 June, 2024 at House On Fire. The Top 3 winners also received exciting prizes and will be supported with career advancement opportunities.
A big thank you goes out to everyone who voted for their Firefly artists! The competition was intense, and the winners were finally chosen through a combination of the expert judges panel and audience voting. A big thank you goes to MTN Eswatini, too, for supporting this artist development initiative which gives emerging young artists a chance to shine!
After another successful run of unearthing Eswatini’s remarkable emerging music talent, this year’s edition of the MTN Bushfire Firefly competition closed with a fiery bang! The Top 10 finalists battled it out for a spot in the Top 3 at the Grand Finale, which featured a sizzling performance by headlining act and South African Amapiano superstar, Focalistic, as well as Eswatini’s newest talent on the decks, Wassabee the DJ.
The competition’s Top 10 finalists were voted for by the public on the MTN Bushfire Firefly channel on the official voting app, AYOBA, for the chance to perform live at the MTN Bushfire Firefly Grand Finale. Fans can also subscribe to the MTN Bushfire channel on AYOBA for the latest updates on the festival. Discounted tickets for the MTN Bushfire festival are still available via MoMo Marketplace (simply send “Hi” to 7808 4000 via WhatsApp and follow the prompts) as well as online through the festival website www.bush-fire.com.
WINNERS SHARE THEIR FIREFLY EXPERIENCE & FUTURE PLANS
Stella Jacobs:
“I’d like to thank the MTN Bushfire Firefly for giving me this great opportunity. My experience was amazing! I learned a lot about what it takes to make it in the music industry during the mentorship workshop which was organised by MTN Bushfire Firefly. I’m happy to be part of the Top 3, I feel like a star and I can’t wait to perform at the MTN Bushfire festival. My biggest priority right now is preparing for my MTN Bushfire performance. I am planning to deliver a riveting performance which I believe will open many doors for me. My wish is to make it in the music industry, to make money and collaborate with other established artists and represent Eswatini internationally.”
Ohtomn Sally:
“Well I feel amazing for winning .. it was a pleasure competing with 10 of some of the best emerging artists from Eswatini. My plans are straight forward – I want to join the ongoing movement to put Eswatini music to the world #EswatiniMusicToTheWorld!”
Fisiwe:
“Winning the MTN Bushfire Firefly competition was a dream come true for me. It validated all the hard work, dedication and sacrifices I have made to pursue my passion for music. The feeling of hearing my name announced as the winner is something I will never forget. It has given me a sense of accomplishment and motivation to continue honing my craft and pushing myself to new heights in my musical journey. As I look towards the future , I am filled with excitement and determination. I plan to leverage this success as a springboard to further establish myself in the music industry. I aim to release more original music, collaborate with other talented artists and perform at bigger stages around the world. Winning Firefly has opened up new opportunities for me, and I am eager to make the most out of them.”
ABOUT MTN BUSHFIRE FIREFLY
Launched in 2017, MTN Bushfire Firefly is a powerful manifestation of MTN Bushfire’s call to action for positive social and environmental change, Bring Your Fire. The competition is an expression of the festival’s arts development pillar which has inspired conscious and tangible efforts to create sustained access to the arts for Eswatini’s youth.
MTN Bushfire Firefly continues to be one of Eswatini’s most vibrant and impactful music projects. Over the years, the competition has established an inspiring track record of unearthing, promoting and supporting emerging talent by giving the youth a credible platform to share their music to wide audiences. To date, the music competition has empowered over 100 up-and-coming artists, most of whom have used this opportunity to elevate their musical careers and become recognised artists in Eswatini’s music industry.
The competition is aimed at the #YoungGiftedFree who are trailblazers who dream big and hustle hard. MTN Bushfire Firefly creates a music space with no limitations for the youth to freely express themselves by sharing their musical creativity and lyrical authenticity.
