Watch the Electrifying Performances from the Mastercard Artist Accelerator Showcase

Ali Szubiak
·6 min read

Emily Vu, Manu Manzo, Cocoa Sarai, Young Athena, and LeriQ embraced the program’s Web3 capabilities in an incredible showcase

With AI at the forefront of digital creation, technological advancements continue to alter and evolve the artistic landscape, and music has proven no exception to that. Mastercard chose to embrace this ongoing innovation with the launch of the Mastercard Artist Accelerator, a Web3 spotlight program that kicked off in Spring 2023.

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The company handpicked five emerging artists — Emily Vu, Manu Manzo, Cocoa Sarai, Young Athena, and LeriQ — from around the world, offering them unfettered access to a wealth of virtual tools meant to help them further solidify their brands in the digital world. Not only were the artists successful in using AI music technology from WarpSound to write and record new music, but they also used the Web3 technologies to represent themselves across digital platforms, as well as collaborate with other artists and connect with mentors.

Fans were even encouraged to keep tabs on the five artists with the Mastercard Music Pass, a limited edition NFT that gave holders access to the platform. Users were able to learn alongside the artists, giving them an exclusive look into a world unique to those involved. To say the program offered an all encompassing, memorable experience for fans and participants alike is an understatement.

The program ultimately wrapped with an electrifying finale showcase, where each participant performed a brand-new track — created using the AI Music Studio and incorporating the Mastercard sonic branding. Hosted by Billboard’s Tetris Kelly, the performances were intercut with an interview with Billboard News Director Colin Stutz, who offered insight into the way the Mastercard Artist Accelerator encouraged each participant’s further development as an authentic creator. The President of Billboard, Mike Van, also stopped by to double down on how the program helped develop and grow these emerging artists.

The performances kicked off with a compelling performance from Emily Vu, whose sharp pop sensibilities were on full display with the mid-tempo “Silhouette”. A song steeped in regret, the introspective “Silhouette” expertly conjures up the kind of longing unlocked amid those particularly painful post-breakup moments, when you’re forced to rely on muscle memory just to get through the day.

Young Athena stayed true to her mission of female empowerment with the encouraging “You’re Priceless.” Full of dynamic harmonies and vocal flourishes, the track is a soaring blend of R&B and soul, and Young Athena’s impressive range is on full display all across the track.

Cocoa Sarai’s seemingly autobiographical “Concrete Rose” is an eclectic ear worm that earns itself a repeat listen right out of the gate. A nuanced amalgamation of funk, pop, and hip-hop, “Concrete Rose” is effectively uplifting without ever succumbing to platitudes. When Cocoa confidently declares, “And if I’m singing, then they listening”, you know she’s telling the truth.

LeriQ’s “I’ll Be There” is a complex afrobeats track that never overstays its welcome. Accompanied by its simple-but-effective titular vocal phrase, the song’s decisive melody is, much like the rest of the track, anything but. “I’ll Be There” deftly builds upon itself with each new layer, resulting in a clip that impressively manages a quiet crescendo in just under two minutes.

Manu Manzo is effortlessly cool on “Quién Te Dijo,” a serene track with velvety-smooth vocals and robust percussion. On it, Manu urges listeners to embrace life as it comes and surrender to the precariousness of it all.

For those of you who missed the showcase, be sure to check it out below. And for those of you who want more, you can head over to mastercard.com/artist-accelerator to claim each song from the broadcast as a free NFT.

Get to know the five Mastercard Artist Accelerator artists:

Manu Manzo – @manumanzo

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, reggaetón star Manu Manzo quickly rose to prominence with a nomination for Best New Artist at the 2015 Latin Grammy Awards just one year after releasing her first EP, Como Soy. A self-professed fan of artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Celia Cruz, and Alejandro Sanz, Manu, who relocated to Miami at the age of 11, boasts an impressive variety of influences — a fact that becomes obvious when you consider her eclectic sound.

She’s currently promoting her first full-length LP, Luna En Geminis, which droppedon May 26. A major proponent of astrology, Manu titled her debut album after one of her own placements, translating to Moon In Gemini in English.

Emily Vu – @emilyvumusic

SoCal native Emily Vu first made waves in 2019 with the release of her song, “What Happened, Happened.” The 19-year-old has since maintained an ever-growing fanbase with her brand of vulnerable indie pop, encouraging individuality and self-discovery through her music. A trained pianist and guitarist, Emily has successfully connected with millions of fans through the vulnerability of her work and she’s kept them hooked with the impressive nature of her skill as an artist.

The Mastercard Artist Accelerator has helped motivate Emily even further. With two EPs already part of her discography, she’s looking to release a 16-song album in the near future.

Cocoa Sarai – @cocoasarai

With both a Grammy and an Emmy win already under her belt, Brooklyn native Cocoa Sarai’s impressive career has been well underway for years. And it’s no surprise as to why — the Jamaican-American singer-songwriter first began performing at two years old. With her seamless combination of hip-hop, funk, R&B, soul, and reggae, Cocoa brings with her an advanced artistry that’s even more impressive than her many accolades.

Cocoa is currently working on her next album, which she’s hoping to release in the fall. She’s also been writing on some K-pop records and has been in the studio with a high-profile rapper/producer, so things are about to kick off for her in a major way.

LeriQ – @leriq

Producer and songwriter LeriQ brings something truly unique to the table. Not only is the Nigerian-based artist already a celebrated producer — known in part for his killer collaborations with Burna Boy — who boasts millions of fans all across streaming platforms, but he also has his own Web3 start-up called African Valuables Collective, where he promotes his NFT collection.

Next up, the Nigerian star is prepping the release of a collaborative album.

Young Athena – @young_athena

London-based act Young Athena has music in her blood. Born to an opera singer mother and a rapper father, the R&B Soul singer was encouraged from an early age to create. She garnered radio play with the release of her very first song, “Be Who You Are”, at the impressive age of 12 and followed it up with the R&B grime dance track “On Fleek”, which caught the ears of music execs desperate to sign her.

Looking ahead, Young Athena is excited to be part of the MOBO Unsung class of 2023, one of the UK’s biggest annual talent competitions meant to mentor and develop ten unsigned artists. Beyond that, she plans on utilizing the knowledge and skills she gained as a participant of the Mastercard Artist Accelerator by releasing visuals and music through NFT blockchain and Web3 technology. She’s especially excited to release her new single “Bougie Budget”, which will drop soon.

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