Welcome to “Africa Got Talent” and “Black Sensation Cruise” aboard Tallink Silja Line
On Friday, 15th April 2011, the Ritz Society
Welcome to “Africa Got Talent” and “Black Sensation Cruise” aboard Talink Silja Line
On Friday, 15th April 2011, the Ritz Society, the Entertainment wing of the Africa Monetary Fund (AMF), will organize two historic events during the April 15, 2011 Black Sensation Cruise on-board Talink, Silja line in the Baltic Sea. The twin events - “Africa Got Talent” competition and the “Black Sensation Cruise” will take place concurrently in Club Starlight and Club Moonlight respectively. The events are expected to attract over 2.000 fun lovers across Scandinavia and beyond.
Black Sensation
Black Sensation will take place in Club Starlight aboard Silja Line and will be an All-night pure disco featuring the best Dance hall DJs in Scandinavia. Top on the spinning table will be groups and DJs that form the “Cream of Dancehall” in Stockholm namely: MILLION Stylz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybxLk3Dcun8&feature=related
Martin Luther, Bramma B, Trinity, DJ Yangsta, Keon, Jim, DJ Pablo and Blackout Dancehall Crew. All Dance hall enthusiasts are promised a memorable night that will, for the first time, bring together all the big names in the “Dancehall industry” in Scandinavia.
The Africa Got Talent (AGT), slated for Club Galaxy, is a new initiative by the Ritz Society and is intended to give African music Artists in Scandinavia a unique opportunity to show-case their talents in various music genres in front of a huge supportive audience and professional Judges who will decide on the winners.
Before the event, a preliminary AGT competition will take place in Stockholm on Saturday, Mars 26th 2011 Kista Träff Stockholm, after which the top ten qualifiers will battle it out in the Baltic Sea on April 15th 2011 at the finals. The AGT, will be the first competition of its kind in Scandinavia.
The concept behind the AGT is based on pooling together interested Artists and providing a platform where participants can display their talents. After the event, the Ritz Society will produce a CD that will feature the best music compositions by the performing Artists and help distribute their music globally.
Interested Artists are requested to submit their applications through the Ritz Society’s website as soon as possible. Closing date for applications is February 10th 2011 at 12.00 sharp. Apply Africa Got Talent >> www.ritzsociety.com
Urkraft, a traditional African group that specializes in traditional African drums, music and dance, will also be on-board to strengthen the “African theme” expected to dominate during the cruise. The group will stage two performances at different intervals during the Africa Got Talent show.
Sound of Blackness, the populous Disco group in Scandinavia featuring VJeys: Frank and Safi, will be on-board to entertain the crowd throughout the night at the Africa Got Talent show as Yardie Vibes and Company thrill fans in the hall next door. Sound of Blackness will be in the boat for the second time, having worked up the crowd at Silja Line during last October’s Miss Africa Crown contest that was organized by the Ritz Society and which attracted over 1,200 revelers.
All bookings will be through Silja Line (Booking link and Code to be posted soon) and guests will have the option of attending both functions depending on where they feel they will harvest maximum fun during the Cruise. It will be a “free flow of humanity” as African vibrations rock the boat across the Baltic Sea.
This is a no miss show, time when Tallink Silja Line will be taken over by hundreds of people who love and enjoy African music!
Book early to avoid last minute disappointments!
BOOKINGLINK http://www.tallinksilja.com/sv/cruises/special/galaxy/blackSensation.htm
Okoth Osewe
Press & Media Officer
AMF/Ritz Society
Box 222, 101 24 Stockholm, SWEDEN
Within just a few seconds this outstanding version of the legendary 70´s band will take you on a glittering journey back through time. Skilful editing blended with striking sound effects allow you to imagine a world where Boby Farrell´s tunes still regularly top the charts and Boney´s greatest moments in a glorious fusion of visual and musical history, bring the international themes which made the original concept so huge worldwide back to life. With classic songs including Rasputin, Daddy Cool, Ma Baker, Brown Girl in the Ring, Rivers of Babylon, Ma Baker, Holiday and many more. We are sure the Sound of Boney M will be a BIG attraction at Africa Night Cruise during / October 7th 2011
The inaugural Miss Africa Crown Pre-selection Party that was organized at Alvik on Saturday 3rd September, was a smashing success, having been attended by a mixture of over 400 admirers, enthusiasts, fans of Pre-selection celebrities, party-lovers and curious onlookers alike. The event, which was organized by the Ritz Society, an Entertainment group aligned to the Africa Monetary Fund, was a prelude to the Miss Africa Crown Scandinavia beauty pageant that will be held on October 8-9th 2010 at Siljaline during the anticipated 2010 “Africa Night Cruise” in the Baltic Sea.
Although the event is being organized for the first time in Scandinavia, it has attracted an unprecedented interest, not just because of the Cruise itself but because of the expected convergence of 30 African cuties in Scandinavia representing various African countries. From observations at the Pre-selection, it is abundantly clear that there is enormous potential within the African Beauty/Fashion industry in Scandinavia which has not yet been tapped. Young Africa girls interested in this Industry in Scandinavia have been facing enormous difficulties in penetrating the industry because of the “rigid nature” of the Scandinavian fashion world and the tendency of major players to sideline beauties of African origin.
The main problem in Scandinavia in relation to potentials of African origin is that because of the tiny African population in Scandinavia, big players in the Fashion industry have, naturally, tended to address the tastes of the white Scandinavian population and this reality is responsible for the lack of interest in African models, Make-up artists and prospects in the fashion industry in general.
Although there is considerable activity in the African Beauty/Fashion industry in Scandinavia by way of multiple African salon parlors, fashion shops and boutiques, African make-up and other beauty out-lets, there is so far no organized or collective activity that seeks to address the interests of African girls in Scandinavia interested in the field of Fashion.
The direct consequence has been that many African girls with interest in the industry have had to see their hopes melt away because of difficult circumstances, ambitions disintegrate, aspirations frustrated and dreams shuttered. The lucky ones have had to move away from Scandinavia to pursue their dreams in more favorable environments especially in the United States and Britain where the African fashion industry is more developed, accessible and accommodating.
The Fashion industry is one of the biggest in the world and one of the most competitive. Obviously, there is no key player in the industry who will invest in, say, African modeling in Scandinavia because, like any serious business venture, the industry is driven by profit and African modeling is not the in-thing at the moment. Since African modeling is not part of the mainstream in Scandinavia, interest in African models has also been low.
In order to address the dilemma facing young African prospects who have had to live with zero opportunities, and in order to fill the current vacuum in the industry, an independent African based, African controlled and African oriented alternative in the field has to be created. It is in this context that the Miss Africa Crown Beauty Pageant needs to be viewed.
Simply put, the contest itself will not automatically transform into an industry. What it can do is to show that there is a huge potential from where a base could be created to address the anomaly. The contest should not end when the winner takes it all and flies to Paris on holiday. There is need for a long-term effort to organize the girls who have so far shown interest in order to help them pursue their dreams. In this endeavor, a group like Ritz Society could play a pivotal role in helping expose the girls even if it means extending such exposures outside Scandinavia depending on circumstances.
The girls who have come up bravely to support the show need to be congratulated because without their participation, there could have been no Miss Africa Scandinavia Pre-Selection Party at Alvik last Saturday. In the same token, without their participation, there will be no Miss Africa Crown contest at the Siljaline on 8-9th October. In fact, it is very encouraging that in pursuing their dreams, they quickly recognized the potential in the Ritz initiative and supported it by submitting their applications, allowing their pictures to be published and participating in the event with a lot of interest.
Another group that deserves congratulations is the huge crowd of over 400 people who came to support them by paying to see them on stage. The crowd provided a perfect opportunity for the girls to face a crowd (many of them for the first time) to show off their beauty. The African orientation of the event came out clearly when the girls later popped up on stage to dance to the tunes that were being blared on the huge loud speakers by Sound of Blackness, the biggest African Entertainment group in Scandinavia.
Most importantly, the Ritz Society, which came up with the idea, also needs the ultimate kudos because without mooting the idea and pumping in hours of planning and coordination, the event could not have happened. What emerges is a series of Networking with key players being Ritz, the girls and the crowd which came to support the event.
After the big success, it can only be hoped that the historic celebration will be at the boat. The organizers had deliberately held back certain features of the event in order not to give away everything that could compromise the big battle of the beauties at the boat.
For example, no winners were announced at the Pre-selection because such an announcement could have been counter-productive to the main objective of the contest – to expose the girls and to give them an opportunity to experience life on stage. Now, this experience will be extended to the boat but this time around, there will have to be a winner.
Secondly, there was no intensive interrogation of the girls on stage. The truth is that there are certain questions with similar answers regardless of whether they are asked at the Pre-selection or at the boat. At the boat, the girls ought to be taken through the paces because beauty is not just about looks. It is also about bringing out the personality of the constant, testing intelligence, general knowledge and humour. Sparing the main grilling for the boat was a good idea because the curiosity about who the constants actually are remains.
Another strategy which was good was the idea that the contestants ought not to appear dressed in the line of clothes chosen for the competition. In fact, the Party last Saturday was more of a display of what to expect at the boat than a rehearsal of the contest itself. The boat environment will obviously be better than that of Alvik and what can be anticipated is that the girls will have learnt some lessons from Alvik to be improved at the boat. It is interesting that despite the hold-backs, the event was not only successful but also very spectacular. Tickets for the boat might run out sooner than expected because what the Pre-selection Party has done is that it has created more interest in the event and sharpened appetites for more of the ladies. Ritz Society has itself shown that it is capable of pulling an event of this magnitude although the main test is yet to come.
The event has also shown that there is a growing collection of African beauties in Scandinavia and with organized activity, their presence might be difficult to ignore on a long term. Members of the African community and friends of Africa need to support such events especially in such a popular field where nothing has been going on especially on the African scene. After the big success, let the battle of the beauties move to the boat and (as they say) may the best candidate win.
Okoth Osewe
Ritz Society
On Friday, 8th October 2010, Ritz Society in conjunktion with Africa Monetary Fund will stage one of the biggest events ever at the popular boat – Siljaline. The event, which could be dubbed “The 2010 Africa Night Cruise”, will be an all night cruise on the boat with the most popular African artists from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and West Africa right on board to perform LIVE and thrill lovers of African music as they enjoy the night across the gigantic Baltic sea. It will be the first time such an event will be staged in Siljaline and this will create an opportunity for fun lovers to participate in real-time history making in the high seas. BOOK TICKET ON TALLINK SILJA:
Then, comes “the icing on the cake” – a hot competition among the cream of African beauties to search for the “Miss Africa Crown” in Scandinavia! The historic event will mark the official inauguration of an annual Miss Africa Crown beauty contest in Scandinavia. The contest will roll at “Galaxy” (Siljaline) between Friday October 8th to Saturday 9th 2010. Cute African girls in Scandinavia between the ages of 18-30 will be able to present their individual beauty, style, personalities, influence, feminine appeal and intelligence in a friendly atmosphere packed with ready admirers who shall have paid to enjoy every moment of the action.
Out of the applications received, only 12 aspirants will qualify to contest at the Siljaline Galaxy where Judges will include professionals in fashion design, make up, beauty, business and celebrity industry. Scoring will be processed by a computerized system and the judges’ decision will be final. The Africa Crown contest is part of the Africa Monetary Fund/Ritz Society collaboration to promote and show-case pure African beauty, African fashion, National African costumes while at the same time promoting African beauties and exposing them to relevant industries for professional advancement and success
Miss Africa Crown ( Preselection) 3th September 2010. Alviks Medborgarhus. Gustavslundsvägen 168 A. Stockholm Sweden
Plans for the “Africa Night Cruise” scheduled for October 8-9th 2010 at Siljaline are getting into top gear. During the cruise, five leading artists from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Gambia are set to thrill the crowd with Live music as the gigantic Siljaline creeps at night across the blue Baltic sea with hundreds of fun-lovers enjoying themselves on board like never before.
According to the “Artist Line-up”, Amani, a top Kenyan lady Star who has been shuffling the Charts in East Africa with hot new numbers, has been contracted to work-out revelers on October 8th at the fabulous “Club Galaxy” in Siljaline which is designed to absorb at least 500 Party addicts. Amani is the latest female sensation threatening to re-write “The gospel according to Kuchangamushwa” in East Africa.
During the night Cruise, part of the Entertainment package will be the “Miss Africa Crown” contest, a unique African beauty pageant, to select the cutest African girl in Scandinavia who will then travel to Paris as part of the package contained in the winning prize for the event. It will be the first time that a “Miss Africa Crown” will be established in Scandinavia, an event that will be organized annually to promote and show-case pure African beauty, African fashion, National African costumes while at the same time promoting African Queens and exposing them to relevant industries for professional advancement and success.
Contestants will be between the ages of 18-30. Applicants will only be able to represent their country of origin while the dress code will include a National dress, swimming suite (provided by sponsor), evening gown and business dress or costume.
All Night Boogie by Sound of Blackness, DJ Peter and DJ Ashman
Predictably, the organizers are overwhelmed by the high level of interest in the event by Africans and friends of Africa in Scandinavia (especially in Sweden) who view it as an opportunity to promote Africa and her people. Because of the large number of contestants expected “to swing their hips” before the professional panel of judges who will determine the winners, the event will take place in two separate stages.
On Friday, 3rd September, the Africa Monetary Fund (AMF) together with the Ritz Society that are collaborating to organize the Africa Night Cruise, have fixed a hot Pre-selection Party where a galaxy of cute contestants will battle it out to try and qualify for the main competition at the Cruise on October 8-9th 2010.
At this Pre-Selection, only 12 contestants will qualify from 12 African countries although application is open to any aspirant to present individual beauty, style, unique personality, influence, feminine appeal and intelligence in a friendly atmosphere packed with ready admirers who shall have paid to enjoy every moment of the action.
Aspirants are invited to download the application form and conditions of the contest, fill them up and send them to the designated address on the form as soon as possible. The qualifying contestants will then be able to meet a team of experts who will guide them through the process of the Pre-Selection contest on 3rd September.
An all-night “boogie-boogie” will accompany the Pre-Selection at Alviks Medborgahuset (see flyer) where the ubiquitous “Sound of Blackness” (the biggest, most popular, most up to date and most captivating African Disco crew in Scandinavia) will be inna-di-house to blacken the extravaganza and guide converts through the paces on the dance floor with refined music selection from throughout the continent. If you have never experienced them before, DJ Frank and DJ Safi - backed by the slippery Ismael also of Sound of Blackness – will be in the “cock-pit” to help you come to terms with latest trends in African music, a good reason to make you show up “and get fixed as you appreciate!” And just in case, DJ Peter and DJ Ashman, two of the finest Africa-Stockholm DJs, are also on board and currently charging 24/7 for the show.
Africans, fun-lovers, disco-holics, boogie-maniacs and party-crazy world-citizens (black and white) are encouraged to turn up in large numbers to support the Pre-selection. In so doing, supporters will all be promoting African Entertainment and helping African ladies build careers in the competitive Beauty-Fashion industry especially in Scandinavia. It will be the best way to promote the new concept of the Africa Night Cruise “whose time has come” and which has suddenly become the talk of town. Text: Okoth Osewe Kenya Stockholm Blog http://kenyastockholm.com