The Coca-Cola Company, in partnership with Kenya Airways, has announced the return of its flagship African music show, Coke Studio Africa, for a third season.

The show, which unlike other music programmes that focus on the emergence of a winner, is a non-competitive format which seeks to bring together and showcase the diversity of African musical talent.

It also gives upcoming artistes the opportunity to work with some of the best local and international music and production talent.

The new season will feature artists from Nigeria, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania and for the first time these artists will collaborate in a unique format of mash-ups - the latest trend in the global music industry. “A celebration of African music” being its core element, Coke Studio Africa’s new season will feature performances and collaborations from popular artists who have made a mark on their local music scene and the up and rising stars.

Speaking about Coke Studio Africa Season 3, Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Patricia Jemibewon stated: “Our objective is to reinvent the way music captures the imagination and heart of our continent. Coke Studio Season 3 will not only celebrate our local African grown music talent but also create unique collaborations that we believe our consumers and our audience want to hear.”

Jemibewon further stated that this season of Coke Studio Africa promises to be bigger and better and will have something for everyone.

This season, one of Nigeria’s biggest music super star, Tuface Idibia will be performing for the first time alongside other Nigerian artistes including MI, Flavour, Olamide, Ice Prince, Seyi Shay, Chidinma, Yemi Alade, Eva and Di’Ja.

Other African acts billed for the show are AVRIL, Wangeci and The Unstoppable Elani from Kenya; Dr. Jose Chameleone and Keko from Uganda; Ali Kiba and Vanessa Mdee from Tanzania; Neyma and Dama Do Bling from Mozambique.

Kenyan Airways will be the official airline for the show and will fly in all the Coke Studio Africa artistes and producers. The alignment of values between the two major brands’ core beliefs and principles is the strategic foundation for the partnership.

Kenya Airways Head of Marketing Africa Jacquie Muhati said the partnership will give the artistes an opportunity to experience and celebrate Africa through KQ’s great product offering and warm African hospitality.

“This is a great opportunity to showcase Africa in our new fleet which is the youngest in the continent. We are keen to grow young African talent,” he said.

Ms. Muhati added that the partnership was a confirmation of the airlines support for the championing of the music industry in Africa and its desire to be part of talent nurturing and career growth for African artists.

Grammy Award winning musician and producer Zwai Bala, of ground-breaking South African Kwaito group TKZee, will be the show’s music director. Brett Lotriet, a renowned International TV director and producer will be working as the Coke Studio Season 3 series producer.

The musicians along with the highly talented house band will present new tracks each week which will be produced by both local and international producers. Some of the producers include Cobhams Asuquo, Masterkraft and Chopstix from Nigeria, Jaaz Odongo, Eric Musyoka and Kevin Provoke from Kenya, Owour Arunga from USA, Nahreel from Tanzania and Silvastone from the UK. With this pool of music geniuses this show will take music production on the continent to a whole new level.

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