Dressed in a black top with bamboo patterns and paired with a horse faced skirt made of African wax cloth, theater teacher Manuel Mulois lifted a corner of the curtain and looked at the brightly lit stage, his gaze revealing tension but also full of confidence. At the final of the Kenya "Sing Africa" music competition show, a dazzling stage scene and intense music competition were presented, with cold fireworks rising one after another in front of the stage, and the audience cheering and dancing to the music below, creating a lively atmosphere. Singing Africa "is a program jointly initiated by Hunan Radio and Television International Channel and Xinhua News Agency Africa Branch, and created by local mainstream TV platforms and production teams in Africa. The competition covers various genres such as pop, folk, rap, and traditional African music. After the announcement of the start of the audition at the end of November last year, it immediately attracted over 5000 applicants. Unlike typical local talent shows, the champion and three most popular contestants of this competition will also have the opportunity to exchange ideas in China. Levi Mwaoura, from the University of Nairobi, has a passion for Chinese opera. After only one year of studying Chinese, he sang an original song that combines Swahili, English, and Chinese. Although he ultimately finished in the top 21, this competition became an important experience for him on his path of music creation and Chinese language learning. In the end, Manuel stood in the center of the stage as he wished, welcoming the glory and cheers of the champion. After recalling the moment of winning the championship, he couldn't hide his excitement after a month of intense competition: "That moment was amazing. I have always dreamed of singing for Africa and the world." On stage, music connects different languages and cultures; Behind the stage is the deep cooperation between the Chinese and African teams in the field of program production. In the broadcasting area behind the judges' seat, director Charles Meiner switches between multiple camera positions and gives instructions through a headset. He said, "The working style and efficiency of the Chinese team left a deep impression on me, and working with them has benefited us greatly." Program producer Sami Di said that the experience of the Chinese team in program production has positive reference significance for the development of the local music industry. According to the chief director of this competition, Zhu Simeng, in order to present a better effect, both the Chinese and African teams have invested a lot of time and energy to continuously polish the stage art form, making the program more closely related to the local music ecology. In the view of music director Mortif Di Tang, 'Sing Africa' provides a valuable reference for local music competitions in Africa. When creating the theme song for the program, he deliberately incorporated Chinese bamboo flute elements, hoping to bring different experiences to the audience. Audience member Dixon Nyungesa said that 'Sing Africa' provides a stage for ordinary youth to showcase their talents and also allows more Kenyan musicians to enter the public eye, including Chinese audiences. On social media, some Chinese netizens refer to the program as the African version of "Happy Boys" and look forward to watching this music feast of cultural integration between China and Africa on domestic platforms. 2026 is the 'China Africa Cultural Exchange Year'. As a vivid practice of promoting mutual learning between Chinese and African civilizations and fostering people to people exchanges, this program has been included in the list of high-quality activities for the "China Africa Cultural Exchange Year" by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Although the first season of the program has ended, cultural cooperation between China and Africa is still ongoing. The organizer stated that they plan to launch a women's version of the competition this year to provide a platform for more young people to showcase their skills. Meanwhile, Manuel and his companions are preparing for their upcoming trip to China, looking forward to exchanging ideas with Chinese musicians. (New Society)