SA duo Nasiphi and Sthamzen wins 2023 Afro Pepites Show

South African house music duo Nasiphi & Sthamzen won the main prize (Golden Pepite), while Cameroonian comedian Fidèle Ntoogue clinched the second prize. The third prize went to Malagasy painter Maherisoa Rakotomalala.

Sthamzen is a DJ and producer from Pretoria who started producing in 2014 after taking lessons from his friend King Rockz. Nasiphi Booi, meanwhile, is a singer and songwriter from Ambrose, a village in the Eastern Cape province.

Originally an arts and culture journalist, Ntoogue launched her career in comedy in 2008. An almost permanent fixture at the Africa Stand Up Festival in Yaoundé, she presented her first one-woman-show, L'infidèle, at the French Institute of Cameroon in 2021.

Maherisoa Rakotomalala’s eye-catching works combine colourful illustrations of social conditions with mystical symbolism drawn from his Malagasy roots. He embraces different techniques and art forms, including painting and sculpture.

Now headed for its 14th edition, the Afro Pepites Show is supported by the African Dream (Le Rêve Africain), a French-based association dedicated to promoting African arts. It is open to all African artists including musicians, painters, dancers, photographers, fashion designers, sculptors, storytellers, humourists and poets.

Artists in Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia and the Caribbean whose work ис inspired by Africa can also participate in the competition.

Every year, 12 projects are shortlisted for the top three prizes based on originality, quality and/or commitment of the artists. The winners are determined by online users and a six-member committee. Last year the committee received 158 project submissions.

Successful artists benefit from the following:

• Access to the Afro Pepites Show network of more than 12 200 contacts of organisers, managers, producers, media, publishers, distributors and booking agencies, as well as 25 000 subscribers and fans of African culture.
• Afro Pepites Show social networks reach with more than 50 000 Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn followers.
• Afro Pepites Show’s expertise including management, production, distribution and booking.

“We have widened our networks and are calling on artists to take advantage of this [oportunity],” the organisers said. “We now have more culture professionals in the network who will spot and highlight new talents. Our internet user base is also growing and ready to discover new cultural trends.”

Calls for submissions for the 14th edition of the competition will be opened on 1 March.

Previous winners include Juste Parfait, Elom 20ce, Takeifa band member Mah Kouyaté, Sahad, Stev'n-T and Coton d’Afrik & The Sailors, among others.