- Hip Hop breakthrough artist Tshego to receive 12 months of dedicated support from Deezer
- Deezer’s NEXT 2019 program includes emerging local talent from Latin America, France, Germany, Brazil, UK and Netherlands
- Current Deezer NEXT 2019 artists have already experienced 282% stream increase since the program began
- New dedicated Deezer NEXT Channel hosts exclusive content from line-up
Johannesburg, September 17th 2019: Deezer, the global music streaming service, continues to help emerging talent bring their music to fans worldwide. South Africa’s very own multitalented singer, songwriter and producer, Tshego is the latest addition to join ‘Deezer NEXT’ class of 2019. The breakthrough artist, also known as the “Pink Panther,” brings fresh sounds and a unique voice to the Hip Hop scene.
Born in the United States, Tshego settled in Mafikeng, South Africa in 2002 where he honed his craft. The artist impressed fans with his breakout EP Since 1990 in 2014 and has been attracting attention from veterans and newcomers ever since.
The recent release of his debut album Pink Panther shows a versatile artist who can effortlessly combine R&B, Hip Hop and Afro pop, while featuring talented artists including: King Monada, Riky Rick, Thabsie, Kwesta, Tellaman, Frank Casino and Focalistic.
Deezer is also announcing its global priority acts; two former Deezer NEXT local artists: Colombian Reggaeton singer Manuel Turizo and French American R&B pop singer Lolo Zouaï. The new global acts follow in the footsteps of Lewis Capaldi, a former UK pick who became Deezer NEXT’s global priority in January 2019, prior to becoming a worldwide phenomenon with his international smash hit ‘Someone You Loved’.
Colombian Reggaeton singer Manuel Turizo forms a powerful duo with his brother Julian, who plays the ukulele. Manuel won the hearts of Latin America with his hit ‘Una Lady Como Tu’ and has collaborated with artists like Nicky Jam, Prince Royce, and Farruko.
French-Algerian R&B and pop artist Lolo Zouaï released her first album ‘High Highs to Low Lows’ in 2019. Lolo’s achievements include writing H.E.R’s self-titled album and a stunning collaboration on Blood Orange’s track ‘Jade’.
A new addition this year is the dedicated Deezer NEXT Channel that is filled with exclusive content from the NEXT artists including live sessions and their personal ‘inspirations’ playlists.
With previous Deezer NEXT Alumni including Jorja Smith, Rag‘n’Bone Man and Anne-Marie, the current Deezer NEXT 2019 artists have already collectively experienced a 282% stream increase since the program began this year. January’s global pick Lewis Capaldi has also seen a boom of 854% in fans / 244% in monthly streams on Deezer since the start of the program, while Sam Fender experienced a 225% in fans / 424% increase in monthly streams.
Nigel Harding, Deezer’s VP of Artist Marketing commented: “Since we launched our first Deezer NEXT in 2018, it’s been very rewarding to see how far our hugely talented alumni artists have come. This year we’re proud to have Manuel Turizo and Lolo Zouaï extend their Deezer NEXT journey. We can’t wait for even more fans around the world to fall in love with their music, just like we did. We’re especially thrilled to welcome Manuel as our first Latin global priority artist. Given the rising popularity of Latin music and that 95% of Latin consumption is from streaming*, we hope to help continue taking this genre to new heights. As always, our local acts are a force to be reckoned with, and their music will no doubt speak to a new generation of fans.”
Additional Deezer NEXT local artist lineup include; rap, rock, hip hop, EDM and reggaeton acts.
The second round of regional acts are:
France
- Tsew The Kid, a Malagasy RnB and Rap singer/songwriter, started recording music in his bedroom aged just 14
- Larry, a 22-year-old rapper, is one of the most promising artists of his generation mastering the trap flow with a contagious energy
- Elia, a Parisian singer/songwriter, mixes delicate but strong notes with groovy pop and will release her 1st EP this month
- Videoclub, a young but promising pop duo who released their debut single ‘Amour Plastique’ last year
Germany
- Lou Asril, a soul & R&B singer, has been performing since he was 15 and this year released two new tracks ‘Divine Goldmine and ‘Soothing Moving’
UK
- L Devine, a rising star from Whitley Bay, is leading pop’s new honest and outspoken generation with her first 2 EPs, ‘Peer Pressure’ and ‘Growing Pains‘
- Aitch, the flag-bearer for Manchester’s rap scene, is making waves with Top 10 single ‘Taste (Make It Shake)‘ and features on some of 2019’s biggest UK rap hits
- Easy Life, a five-piece band playfully blending sounds from hip-hop, R&B and electronic with pop hooks, showcased on their mixtapes ‘Spaceships’ and ‘Creature Habits’
Brazil
- Pedro Sampaio, a Brazilian DJ mixing hip hop, electronic, pop and funk, is known for his creative mashups on his LIVE EDIT broadcast on YouTube
- Hugo & Guilherme, a duo lighting up the sertanejo scene with their tracks ‘Namorada Reserva’ and ‘Teste da Mãozinha’
- DAY, a pop singer songwriter, was a finalist for The Voice Brasil 2017 and helped write Anitta’s ‘Não Perco Meu Tempo’
Netherlands
- 45ACIDBABIES, a band from Utrecht, are scrambling moods and styles into their own breakneck inner logic and will release debut album ‘AMBER19’ in September
- Nona, a soul singer with a love for hip hop and pop, has a fresh sound and blessed with a powerful voice reminiscent of the soul great
Deezer NEXT initiative identifies and champions emerging global and local talent and provides them with exposure to new local and worldwide fans. The annual program which launched in 2017, provides artists with 12 months of dedicated support from Deezer’s Artist Marketing and Editorial teams. This includes playlisting and creative marketing campaigns involving special content, fan events and social media amplification.
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