Brazzaville music scene readies for Vision 2010
From Brazzaville’s crowded blocks to the banks of the Congo River, music pours out of small shops and taxis every night. Samda Studio wants to catch that pulse and bottle it in a new talent search called “Vision 2010,” set to begin on 7 December.
Organised by Samda Studio, the cultural branch of the NGO Samda Congo, the competition will unfold over four successive Sundays, each filled with semi-live performances and instant verdicts from a jury that promises both rigour and showmanship.
Fifteen singers, averaging twenty-three in age, will compete for a maxi single and a professionally produced video clip—prizes that, in the local industry, can catapult an unknown voice from bar stages to nationwide playlists.
Casting, primes and elimination process
Before the lights turn on, a casting session on 18, 19 and 20 November at the Sony Labou Tansi Cultural Circle will decide the final line-up. Organisers say they expect early queues as hopefuls travel from several districts to audition at ten in the morning.
Coordinator Damase Bouozock, calm yet visibly proud, explains that each prime will end with direct elimination. “We want tension, but fair tension,” he insists, noting that jurors will weigh vocal technique, stage presence, and the ability to connect with a live band.
For Samda Congo’s secretary-general Bernard Bitanda, the stakes reach beyond trophies. “We are sharing our vision with Congolese music lovers,” he tells Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, thanking the Ministry of Cultural Industry and Airtel Congo for what he calls their ‘unfailing support’.
Samda Congo, venue and technical support
The choice of Sony Labou Tansi, named after the celebrated writer, also carries symbolism: the venue has long welcomed experimental theatre and poetry slams, making it fertile ground for young voices looking to stretch beyond karaoke tracks.
Although the contest is new, the format echoes television shows that dominate evening screens. Samda Studio promises tight schedules: doors open at 15:00, showtime at 16:00, results before dusk, allowing fans to catch taxis home before Brazzaville’s usual traffic swell.
Behind the scenes, technicians are already testing sound to adapt to semi-live settings, where pre-recorded sequences mix with real instruments. “It demands precision,” a Samda engineer notes, “because one false cue can knock a singer off key in a heartbeat.”
Streaming plans, funding and outreach goals
The production team also hints at interactive streaming on social media, though details will be finalised during a press conference scheduled for 15 November. That briefing, led again by Bouozock, aims to place boundaries around rumours already swirling on fan pages.
Funding, a chronic hurdle for cultural projects, seems secured for this first edition. Bitanda credits corporate sponsors for covering stage rental, lights, and the future music video, allowing contestants to focus on rehearsal rather than last-minute fees.
Local music critics view the event as a timely platform; many studios closed during previous health restrictions, and emerging artists struggled to find audiences. A new showcase, they argue, can revitalise confidence on both sides of the microphone.
Samda Congo’s wider mission blends art and social outreach, and Vision 2010 mirrors that ethos. Organisers confirm that part of ticket proceeds will finance workshops on vocal coaching and basic sound engineering for youngsters in marginalised neighbourhoods after the competition ends.
Asked about the title that seems to look backward, Bitanda smiles: “We say Vision 2020 in our slogan because our dreams must stay ahead of us, even if the contest keeps the original 2010 tag as a nod to our earliest concept.”
Tickets, safety and fan participation
For contestants, the time between casting and first prime will be short. Rehearsal rooms at Sony Labou Tansi remain open late, with guitarists and choreographers on standby. “Discipline will separate dreamers from professionals,” Bouozock warns, citing tight scoring grids.
Fans who cannot attend in person will still have a voice: applause meters and social-media polls will feed bonus points into the jury’s tally, though eliminations ultimately rest with the panel. The approach aims to blend community sentiment with professional standards.
Whether a future star emerges or not, Vision 2010 already shines a spotlight on local creativity. In a season often dominated by imported chart-toppers, the four-Sunday marathon reminds audiences that Brazzaville’s soundtrack continues to be written, mic in hand, right here.
Tickets, priced to stay accessible according to organisers, will be sold on site the morning of each show and at selected phone-credit kiosks across Bacongo and Moungali. Student discounts apply on presentation of an ID, an incentive aimed at filling the stands with youthful energy.
Security will be handled in coordination with local police units, a measure the NGO calls essential for family attendance. Hand-washing stations and temperature checks, standard features since recent public-health advisories, will remain at the entrance throughout the four-week run.
