BY NELIWE NGUBANE
EZULWINI – For aspiring singers, the Eswatini Praise Talent Search could offer more than a microphone and a moment in the spotlight, as the Eswatini Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Society (ESWACOS) has pledged to equip participants with the knowledge and tools to turn their music into sustainable income.
Speaking during the launch of the talent search at Sibane Sami Hotel, ESWACOS Managing Director Mmeli Hlanze said the organisation would provide copyright workshops to contestants, focusing on copyright management, music business principles and music royalties.
Hlanze said the workshops would help participants understand how to protect and monetise their creative work beyond relying solely on bookings and live performances.
The partnership will also see ESWACOS register all auditioners, contestants and finalists in the competition. Through the registrations, the organisation will be able to collect royalties on behalf of eligible creators, giving emerging musicians an opportunity to start building a foundation for their music careers.
“ESWACOS will empower the contestants/participants of Eswatini Praise with Copyright workshops which will capacitate them on copyright management, music business principles and knowledge on music royalties,” Hlanze said.
He added that the aim was to help artists “monetise their talent beyond bookings and performances.”
The organisation has further committed to sponsoring the prizes for the top three winners of the talent search, strengthening its involvement beyond education and into direct support for emerging talent.
The Eswatini Praise Talent Search seeks to uncover and develop new voices from across the Kingdom through an open audition process, creating a platform for aspiring singers to gain exposure and compete for recognition.
With ESWACOS bringing copyright education, royalty registration and prize sponsorship to the initiative, the competition is positioning itself not only as a search for powerful voices, but also as a stepping stone towards better-informed and commercially empowered musicians.
The partnership could therefore give participants something that lasts beyond the final performance — knowledge of how to own, protect and earn from the music they create.
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