The country’s premier youth music competition, MTN Bushfire Firefly 2026, is back with renewed energy and expanded opportunities for the nation’s vocalists, singers, rappers and DJs.
MTN Bushfire Firefly project manager Penny Bouwer said that last Friday the team held an open mic activation at ZamZam Complex in Nhlangano, which drew an enthusiastic crowd of performers eager to seize their moment.
Notably, Ace Julz, one of last year’s Firefly winners, made a special appearance to encourage participants.
Bouwer said the activations provided a lively platform for artists to perform live, register for the competition and engage directly with the music community.
She added that another activation was scheduled for Saturday at the Pick n Pay Complex in Siteki, running from 12pm to 5pm.
“Festival hopefuls are urged to attend and make their mark,” she said.
According to Bouwer, participants who register a new or reactivate an old MTN Pulse SIM during the activations stand a chance to win one of five MTN Bushfire Firefly Grand Finale tickets.
She said the competition was open to entrants aged 16 to 35, adding that this year’s edition promised to be the biggest yet, offering aspiring artists a platform to showcase their sound on an international stage.
Powered by MTN Eswatini and forming part of the iconic MTN Bushfire Festival’s arts development initiatives, the competition continues to call on talented individuals to submit their original music and electronic press kits by February 6.
Entrants are required to submit at least two original songs to qualify.
“MTN Bushfire Firefly is more than just a competition — it is a cultural movement aimed at elevating Eswatini’s music industry,” Bouwer said.
“Our goal is to provide artists with the tools, exposure and opportunities they need to succeed locally and globally.”
She explained that the journey to the grand finale was both rigorous and rewarding. From the initial submissions, expert judges select the top 20 finalists, who receive global artist promotion, MTN CallerTunez onboarding and exclusive access to Arts Round Table workshops.
Public voting then narrows the field to the top 10, who earn performance stipends, branded merchandise and valuable networking opportunities.
Bouwer said the top three winners would walk away with premium mobile phones from MTN Eswatini and headline a coveted performance slot at the MTN Bushfire 2026 Festival.
For more information and submissions, artists can visit www.bush-fire.com/firefly.
“The countdown is on — will you be the voice that sets the global stage alight?” she asked.
Notable past participants who have gained recognition through the competition include Symphony, Mandisa Mamba, Mzwaa and Ace Julz.
