BBC World Service launches multimedia shows on Africa's musical talent

MUMBAI: BBC World Service has launched Africa Beats - a series of multimedia programmes showcasing Africa?s new musical talent.

Each edition of the eight-part weekly series, available on radio, TV and online, will introduce to the BBC?s global audiences an up-and-coming singer-songwriter from Africa.

The four-minute editions of Africa Beats will show the artistes performing a favourite song, and include an interview with them. The series will be broadcast as part of the BBC Africa morning radio output on BBC World Service, on BBC World News TV, and will be available for viewing via bbcafrica.com and the BBC?s entertainment and arts pages.

The inaugural edition of Africa Beats features Uganda?s Sarah Tshila who chose to give up a promising career in computer science in the US to dedicate herself to music. While she was not encouraged to learn music as a child, she later became determined to pursue her passion and to reconnect with her culture. She believes music is powerful and can be a force for change in her native country.

Tshila sings in English, Kiswahili and her mother tongue, Lugisu. She describes her music as Afro-fusion: it combines traditional instruments, rhythms and melodies with modern hip-hop and spoken-word poetry.

Commenting on her appearance on Africa Beats, Tshila said, ?I can‘t wait for the world to find out about how I have strived to blend my influences of African traditional music with western music."

In 2007, Tshila was named one of the 20 best unsigned artistes in BBC World Service?s global young talent search, The Next Big Thing.