Busara Promotions is calling for musicians from Tanzania and other African countries to apply if they wish to perform at Sauti za Busara festival in Zanzibar during 9 – 12 February 2017. Priority is given to music from East Africa and organisers are making extra efforts this year to encourage artists from the region to participate.
The application process is simple. There is an online form to complete (English or Kiswahili) and submit before July 31, 2016, together with recent recordings and photos. The Selection Committee meets in August to review all applications and all artists are notified the same month if they were selected, or not.
Sauti za Busara is an international festival, attended by artists, managers, promoters and journalists from across the world. Each year the festival receives more than 600 applications, but there are only forty spaces. Of these, usually around 25 groups represent East Africa and others from different parts of the African Continent and diaspora.
Sauti za Busara showcases quality African music. As well as programming big-name 'crowd-pullers' the festival invites a wide selection of young, local and emerging musicians, from urban and rural areas, but only those who perform live (no playbacks).
By participating at Sauti za Busara, artists gain the opportunity for worldwide promotion through the year, on local and international TV, radio, print media, on festival website, in newsletters, blogs and websites, in souvenir programmes and other printed materials. At Sauti za Busara, local artists further gain the opportunity to be seen by international journalists, festival promoters and music managers who come to Zanzibar every year in February to scout for East African talents.
Local musicians spotted at Sauti za Busara who were then invited to perform at other festivals across Africa, Europe and USA include Leo Mkanyia, Msafiri Zawose, Jagwa Music, Jahazi Modern Taarab, Bi Kidude (RIP), Tausi Women's Taarab, Maulidi ya Homu ya Mtendeni, Culture Musical Club, X Plastaz, Ifa Band, Makadem and Sarabi (from Kenya) and more.
More info: www.busaramusic.org, www.facebook.com/sautizabusara