VODAFONE : BIG TOP 40 GIVES SURREY MUSIC DUO THEIR BIG BREAK

Surrey based ZuLuBlack are celebrating after becoming the next Vodafone Future Breaker winners, giving the unsigned duo a fantastic opportunity to launch their budding music career. The Vodafone Future Breakers initiative, launched as part of the Vodafone Big Top 40 partnership with Global, has given ZuLuBlack band members, Chantelle Bartlett and Mau Nteteka, the money-can't-buy chance to record and produce their own single with industry professionals, as well as having the live session broadcast online with the Big Top 40.

Before their big break, the duo performed mostly on YouTube and at local gigs near their hometown of Reigate. The pair met a few years ago before realising their talent and began writing songs together from a small studio in Mau's house. Taking inspiration from the likes of Sia and Adele, coupled with their strong roots in African music, ZuLuBlack hope this big break will be the stepping stone to something bigger and are already planning their first EP release later this year.

On ZuLuBlack's experience with Vodafone Future Breakers, Chantelle commented; 'This has been a phenomenal opportunity for us to follow our dreams. We've always written songs that people can really relate to so hopefully this means we can continue with our passion and create even more songs that mean something to people.'

Mau said; 'Vodafone Future Breakers has opened up this incredible door for us and it's been amazing to be able to get this exposure for our music. We've always made music at home so it's unbelievable to see it come to life now and we can't wait to start performing all over the UK.'

Fronted by the Vodafone Big Top 40's very own Marvin Humes, Vodafone Future Breakers is continuing the search for the very best unsigned talent from across the UK to uncover the next big thing in music. Listeners, budding artists, DJs and band members can enter their tracks or videos through the dedicated hub where they could win a recording studio session with a top industry producer!

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Notes to editors:

About The Big Top 40:

The Vodafone Big Top 40 is the UK's number 1 chart show with 2.4 million listeners every week. It is presented by Marvin Humes, and produced by Global, the media & entertainment group. The chart is the UK's first real time chart show with the top 10 taken live from iTunes during the show. The show airs Sundays from 4pm across 130 radio stations, online at bigtop40.com and through the Big Top 40 app.

About Vodafone UK

Vodafone is one of the world's largest telecommunications companies and provides a range of services including voice, messaging, data and fixed communications. Vodafone has mobile operations in 26 countries, partners with mobile networks in 56 more, and fixed broadband operations in 17 markets. As of 30 June 2016, Vodafone had 465 million mobile customers and 13.7 million fixed broadband customers. For more information, please visit: www.vodafone.com.

Vodafone UK partners with businesses of all sizes - from start-ups and small businesses to the largest corporates and the public sector. The company has worked with UK businesses for over 30 years, starting out as a mobile provider and becoming one of the UK's leading total communications partners. It provides a range of voice and data services, secure communications infrastructure, fixed and call centre capability, unified communications and was the first mobile phone operator to offer a truly converged service for fixed and mobile.

Vodafone is currently spending around £1 billion on its network and services across the UK following a similar amount spent last year. This includes £200 million on its network in London, the introduction of its 4G service to more than 860 cities and towns, as well as thousands of smaller communities whilst also making network improvements across its UK 3G network. Meanwhile, The Vodafone Rural Open Sure Signal programme is also aiming to bring 3G coverage for the first time to 100 remote communities across the UK.

Vodafone UK

Vodafone UK Media Relations

Vodafone Limited