Our NEXT programme is back with a bang for its fourth year! Langa Mavuso, the 25-year-old R&B rising talent joins the first class of Deezer NEXT 2020. Deezer, the global streaming service has selected the singer-songwriter as a local priority act for South Africa.
Mavuso is quickly becoming a Mzansi favourite. He first made his mark on the local music scene with the immense success of his two EPs and singles, including his most popular track, ‘Sunday Blues.’
Langa is currently recording and working on his highly anticipated debut album and hopes to give his fans and followers a unique and memorable music experience.
It’s a huge honour to be selected as part of Deezer NEXT 2020. I can’t wait for fans to see future projects we have coming up,” said Langa Mavuso
“We are excited to have a rising talent like Langa Mavuso join the programme. We love his music and look forward to bringing his sound closer to more music fans in South Africa and beyond,” says Sotiris Moldovanos, Deezer Music Editor for Africa.
Joining Langa this year, we have Ali Gatie as our Deezer Global NEXT priority artist. Born in Yemen to Iraqi parents, Ali grew up in a small town in Ontario, Canada and is a rising star thanks to his talent as a rapper, singer and songwriter.
Ali effortlessly moves between genres and styles and is riding high off his new track, “What If I told You That I Love You.” Meanwhile, his daily streams on Deezer jumped by 7,000% in the last 12 months following his 2019 single, “It’s You.” The song is an international success and put Ali on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.
“I’m so honoured to be selected for Deezer NEXT 2020. This is a big year of firsts for me – I have my first album coming soon, I’ve been able to sell out my first world tour, connect with my fans and release more music than ever. I’m so thrilled to add this to the list!” said Ali Gatie.
Joining Deezer NEXT puts Ali in excellent company. Our NEXT alumni have all seen tremendous growth from being part of the programme. Manuel Turizo, from our class of 2019, saw a 200% increase in fan growth, while Lolo Zouaï got a 70% boost.
“We’re huge fans of Ali’s music and can’t wait to give him our full support. Working closely with talented artists is really the best part of the job. This year, we’ve taken Deezer NEXT even wider. We’re proud to feature artists from eight countries and plan on announcing more in the coming months,” said Nigel Harding, VP of Artist Marketing at Deezer.
Deezer was the first streaming service to launch a yearly programme to support emerging talent. Our Deezer NEXT alumni include stars like Lewis Capaldi, Jorja Smith and Rag’n’Bone Man. Fans can discover Ali Gatie along with the rest of the Deezer NEXT 2020 lineup on our dedicated Deezer NEXT Channel. Find exclusive content from our NEXT artists including live sessions and artist ‘inspirations’ playlists.
Our regional 2020 NEXT acts include:
Germany:
● Wilhelmine – A Berlin born singer, Wilhelmine will reach your heart with her touching, real-life lyrics and pop melodies..
France:
● Yseult – Finding inspiration in the urban French rap scene, Yseult developed her own unique music style called “Y-Trap,” a hybrid of pop and trap.
● Lous and the Yakuza – The 23-year-old Congolese born, Belgian based artist sings about finding her place in the world in her single, “Dilemme.”
● Pomme – Known for her honey-like sweet voice, 23-year-old singer/ songwriter Pomme is also the winner of the 2020 Victoires de la Musique prize for “revelation album” of the year.
● Captaine Roshi – Hailing from Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, this rising rap star is poised to become the new face of French trap.
Brazil:
● Tiee – All bets are on Diógines Tiee, the São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro, native is likely to be Brazil’s new face of Pagode music. The talented composer has recorded several hits featuring other artists, but now is ready to stand out on his own as a singer and performer.
● Luan Estilizado – Gifted as a young child, his father recognized Luan’s talent when he received his first toy accordion at nine-years-old. He has since grown up to become one of the best accordion players and Forró singers in the north eastern region of Brazil.
Latam / US:
● Rod Wave – This American rapper’s debut EP Ghetto Gospel made a splash in November 2019 and peaked #3 on the US Billboard 200 chart.
UK:
● Joesef – Hailing from East Glasgow, Joesef brings incredibly soulful vocals to his self-proclaimed “sad boy music.” The singer is on his way to become one of 2020’s best breakthrough acts.
Netherlands:
● Áslaug – This Icelandic-Dutch singer’s debut album blends dreamy synth chords, polyphonic drifts and catchy hooks. Taking influence from artists such as The Japanese House, HAIM and Lykke Li, Áslaug’s debut EP will launch later this month.
Deezer NEXT, 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.
