Call For Artist: 2025 MTN Bushfire Firefly Applications Now Open

18 February 2025

^{Image: MTN Bushfire FB}

MTN Bushfire is excited to announce that applications are now open for the 8th edition of Eswatini’s premier music talent competition, MTN Bushfire Firefly.

MTN Bushfire Festival is inviting young artists in Eswatini to submit their music recordings for a chance to compete in the Firefly competition. The Top Three winners will have the opportunity to perform live at the MTN Bushfire Festival, scheduled for 30 May to 1 June, 2025.

MTN Bushfire Firefly provides a platform where the #YoungGiftedFree can express themselves without limitations, showcasing their musical creativity and lyrical authenticity. This initiative is aimed at trailblazers who aspire to achieve great things and work hard for their dreams. Vocalists, singers, and rappers aged 16 to 35 are encouraged to send in their music recordings to be part of MTN Bushfire Firefly.

Applications for this year’s competition can be submitted through the Firefly page on the MTN Bushfire website. Applicants should include two tracks for consideration along with their Electronic Press Kit (EPK) or bio, which can be submitted in PDF format or via a web link.

The deadline for applications is Friday, 7 March, 2025.

Since its launch in 2017, MTN Bushfire Firefly has embodied MTN Bushfire’s call to action for positive social and environmental change. This competition reflects the festival’s commitment to arts development, fostering efforts to ensure that Eswatini’s youth have sustained access to the arts.

Over the years, the competition has built a remarkable reputation for discovering, promoting, and supporting emerging talent, providing young artists with a credible platform to share their music with broader audiences. To date, the music competition has empowered more than 100 up-and-coming artists, many of whom have leveraged this opportunity to advance their musical careers and gain recognition in Eswatini’s music scene.

Each year, 20 artists are chosen from the applications and promoted on MTN Bushfire’s social media platforms and affiliated festival channels to enhance their visibility and reach. From these, the Top 10 artists are selected through public voting to perform live at the MTN Bushfire Firefly Grand Finale, scheduled for 24 April 2025. The Top 3 winners will receive fantastic prizes, career opportunities, and the grand prize of a performance slot at the MTN Bushfire festival.

The final judging process at the Firefly Grand Finale will involve a mix of expert industry judges and public online votes. Voting will take place through the MTN Bushfire Firefly channel on the AYOBA app, which can be downloaded from www.Ayoba.me or any app store. 

To make streaming and voting easier, personalized MTN Pulse data bundles will be available for purchase throughout the series. More details can be found on the MTN Bushfire website.

To find out more about the competition and how to enter, download the Ayoba app from https://i.ayo.ba/YgBb/mtnfirefly and subscribe to the MTN Bushfire Firefly channel.