For the first time in music competition in the country, an all-female crew is set to battle out in the second edition of the Airtel Trace Music Star.
The grand finale takes place at the Bingu International Conference Center (BICC) on Friday where a new music star is set to be crowned, according to Airtel Malawi’s Brands and Communications Manager Isabel Kachinjika.
“The winner will be based on the public vote which will make 20% of the overall outcome while judges contribution counts for 80%,” she said.
Since launch of season two which will see the top three walking away with a whooping K10 million, K3 million and K2 million respectively, has received unprecedented response from aspiring musicians.
“Since the launch of Season 2, we have received an influx of entries into the competition with a lot of people doing multiple entries to increase their chances of winning. To increase hype and entice our subscribers to enter the contest, we introduced weekly winners. Every week, 6 people have been winning Airtel Trace branded bags and t-shirts in the categories of highest voter, most unique voice, most humorous song, longest entry, best female and male performances,” said Kachinjika.
She said the national finale will be spiced with performances from the judges; Theo Thomson, Rina and Patience Namadingo with DJ Joe Mfalme as a special guest.
From the initial stages of making entries, top 10 contestants were unveiled and performed live from which Ruth Kulaisi, Madalitso Faziri, Triza Chatata, Kalista Kalele and Chisomo Chichi Nteteka made it to the national finals.
The winner will then compete at Pan African stage against winners from other Airtel African Trace Music Star winners; the dates to be communicated in due course.
Here are the top five
Triza Chatata
She grew up in a musical family as such started singing at a young age in church. She draws her inspiration from vocal greats like Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey and has “worked on growing her vocal range and hitting high notes like my singing idols.” Aged 23, Triza is “an accomplished songwriter, passionate about music and I intend to keep writing songs, singing and learning from the exploits of both local and international singers. I have worked on two songs, one of which was collaboration with the soft-voiced NesNes.”
She believes she is “different and I equally have a chance of winning as everybody else.”
Chisomo Chichi Nteteka
The 25 year old Bachelors in Accountancy third year full time student at Exploits University started singing when she was two. She grew up singing in church and for that reason, “I think I will be the winner because I can sing.”
Madalitso Faziri
Just like others, the Blantyre based 20 year old used to sing in church. “I was actually singing in church, Calvary Family in Mponela, Dowa because that’s where I have been brought up. I realized that I have a voice wen was 7. I am currently a student at Blantyre International University,” she says.
Madalitso believes she will win “because I feel I have the voice that Airtel trace Music Star is looking for.”
Ruth Kulaisi
An employee of Zodiak Television, she started singing when she was 5 and first musical experience was with Ron Kenoly. Good music, a good foundation and later fell In love with Kirk Franklin “who introduced me to soul and black gospel, Jazz and a hint of hip hop.”
The 26 year old who just married musician Noel ‘Phyzix’ Chikoleka less than a month ago, is privileged to be a part of the competition.
Kalista Kalele
She started singing at the age of eleven and I used to head songs at school. She boasts of started a music drama called Zakuthengo and it ended up being an opening act at her school. The 23 year old thinks she will be the winner “because I no one wants to be a loser. I am in it to win it.”
