White Star, Metro FM return with campaign to support SA artists

Shay’na nge White Star (Shine With White Star) will kick off sometime in April. It seeks to enable local artists to shine their light into the COVID-19 lockdown gloom, while simultaneously giving South Africans an opportunity to support their favourite artists during this time.

“White Star has always enjoyed a long and equally fruitful relationship with local artists,” White Star marketing manager Mokhele Makhothi said. “So, as the continued impact of the lockdown on performing artists has left artists having little or no opportunities to perform, we wanted to continue to lend support by creating an opportunity for them to earn some kind of living through performance opportunities and at the same time lighten the mood among South Africans in this uncertain and sullen time.”

The second edition will follow last year’s format with playlisting of local music and live on-air performances on Metro FM. Each week, fans will get a chance to be part of the audience for the recording sessions and meet their favourite artists. The public will also be given an opportunity to win prizes and stream or download music for free.

“Most importantly, musicians and singers will benefit from being featured on the playlists as well as from the streaming and downloads of their music,” Makhothi said. “The idea behind the campaign is that the more South Africans listen to and support local music, the more local content will be played on radio and TV, helping all our favourite artists to weather the COVID-19 storm.”

The first Shay’na nge White Star experience was held in September 2020, and amassed more than 40 million impressions across social media platforms, reaching 4.6 million adults. It featured a 13-week series on Metro FM’s Sunday Soul Therapy with Msizi Shembe, where the station played local music for an hour. Listeners were also treated to hour-long performances, which were streamed on social media alongside prize giveaways. Musicians who performed included Langa Mavuso, Ami Faku, Bongeziwe Mabandla, Nomcebo Zikode, Simmy, Encore, Soul Kulture, Ayanda Jiya, Zarcia, Mlindo the Vocalist, Manana, Karabo and Zoë Modiga.