Deadline extended: Beyond Music Project

Beyond Music is a global community seeking to unite artists worldwide through collaborative projects while fostering intercultural understanding and driving positive social impact on a global scale.

The initiative offers successful applicants the opportunity to record a socially impactful track alongside renowned African stars including five-time Grammy winner Angélique Kidjo (Benin), Afrobeats producer and singer Pheelz (Nigeria) and pop act Wiyaala (Ghana). These artists will personally choose their favourite collaboration and work with the winning teams, who will receive travel, accommodation and a chance to perform in a music video.

Three collaboration singles will benefit from a significant marketing budget and be submitted to the new Grammy Best Song for Social Change category.

Cash prizes of $85 000 will be awarded to contributors. In total, 17 songs will each be honoured with an award. The prize money per award is a maximum of $5 000, with each member of the winning team receiving $1 000 for participation in a group size of five members. Collaborations of more than five artists must share the prize money of $5 000. The songs will be mastered and released with the top three winning songs on the Beyond Music Vol. 4 album.

Procedure and schedule

• Collaboration phase: Participants connect within the Beyond Music community, collaborating on original pieces reflecting the theme of social change. A minimum of three artists, with at least two from different cultural backgrounds, are required. All genres are welcome.
• Submission phase: Each artist can contribute up to eight submissions, and the same collaboration can submit up to three songs. Entries should be semi-professionally recorded, and compositions must be unpublished.
• Winner selection phase: Guest artists Angélique Kidjo, Pheelz and Wiyaala will choose their favourite submissions based on musicality, vocals, instrumental performance, originality, and lyrical significance.
• Song production phase: The artists involved in the winning songs will travel to a chosen city to work in studio with the respective guest artist.

The new deadline for submissions is 16 April.

How to apply

Musicians and collaborators can submit their songs here.

“The 21st century is still young but our global community is already facing a challenging and uncertain future,” Beyond Music said. “Now more than ever, it is our time to take a stand with our talent, to go beyond music. We believe in the power of music as a universal language. We feel the need for a great movement of solidarity. We know the world can be unjust.

“We at Beyond Music believe the seeds of social change grow from within. Only your unique experiences, feelings and struggles inspire the music you create. This is why we made social change the focus of our upcoming album.”

View the original call here.