DRC: Music Competition to Promote Peace and Unity

Any young girl aged between 16 and 22 can now win fifty thousand dollars (50,000 USD) at the end of the musical competition which starts in the province of North Kivu since Monday April 15, 2024, as part of the project “African Queens”, maintained by “Ad little Boss”.

According to information provided by the organizers, African Queens is a dance and music competition for girls aged 16 to 22 organized in the Great Lakes region.

The spirit of this initiative is to seal unity between the peoples of the region, by promoting peace through culture, according to Annie MAHAMBA, the national coordinator of the project in the DRC.

Competition coverage area

In the DRC and in North Kivu precisely, the competition concerns the cities of Goma, Butembo and Beni. But extra-urban locations are also taken into account, because mobile teams will be called upon to take registrations from all willing candidates.

Why this competition in the Great Lakes region?

According to the organizers, this initiative is a part of the aim of promoting female talents in music in this region which has been martyred for years.

The woman of the great lakes in the spotlight

According to the project indicator, Mr. Apollinaire DIAKABANA, the choice made for the woman is strategically thought out: it is a question, he explains, of honoring the one who, since the start of the war, has been on the side children, the first victim of the horrors of war.

It is also a question, he continues, of resuscitating this value of women, almost trampled underfoot in this era of contemporary Africa, whereas in the times of ancient Africa, women played a major role, particularly as Mistress of powerful kingdoms and empires.

The project is therefore part of this dynamic aimed at allowing young female talents to also launch into music, which is both a talent and a profession.

Precision aspects

North Kivu will have 5 winners, one in Butembo, one in Beni and three in Goma, who will compete with the winners from Kinshasa.

Who can participate in the competition?

The conditions required for any participant in the competition are among others: Being Congolese, living in North Kivu, being between 16 and 22 years old and paying 5 dollars for each member,… The competition is also open to religious musicians and laymen.

Where to get your ticket?

In the city of Goma, five locations are selected for registration: the Yolé Africa office, the La Liga restaurants, Bateau vert, the Cubic Meter space in Birere and the Case Départ space. In addition, there will also be mobile registration booths to catch up with those who will not have the opportunity to register in the aforementioned places.

What do we ultimately gain?

The four winners of the competition from four competing countries will all be entitled to an envelope of 200,000 dollars, which will be distributed equitably.

They will subsequently sign a 5-year contract with a Swiss production house, to integrate them into the world of global music.

Shortly before, they will be trained in music school concepts for 4 months, with the idea of ​​making them, according to Apollinaire, great music stars like Beyoncé, Rihanna and the others who have left their mark on global music.