Call for entries: Music competition in Ghana

The competition is open to undiscovered Ghanaian rappers and singers and will reward the winner with a 350 000 Ghanaian cedi package that includes music production, mixing and mastering, as well as promotion across the 12 media channels under the Class Media Group.

CTV general manager Ricky Anokye told Music In Africa that there is no deadline for auditions as entries will be accepted every week on an all-year-round basis. However, interested participants looking to be part of the first batch of finalists must submit their entries before 4 November.

To qualify, applicants must submit a one-minute video clip of themselves singing or rapping and submit it via this website or CTV’s Facebook page. Alternatively, the clips can be uploaded on Facebook with the hashtag #BarsAndBeats.

The competition will begin with 13 contestants and include weekly evictions until a winner emerges. Anokye said although there would by jury members to critique the performances and provide guidance, they would not vote and a contestant’s advancement to the next stage of the competition would be solely dictated by social media engagement.

“Normally, how it is done is that 13 participants are selected out of the 31 million people and the thousands of people who go for auditions,” he said. “So, for the first week, 13 participants will be on and based on the likes and shares from their supporters, winners are selected.”

The contest will unfold in two segments, the first of which will consist of performances of original songs. The second, running under the theme My Own Remix, will require participants to perform a peace- or election-themed song with a beat accompanying it.

Music producers JMJ, Smokey Beats, Appietus and Wei Ye Oteng of Drumline Studios will supervise music production while veteran sound engineer Zapp Mallet will be in charge of mixing and mastering duties.