Tecno Own the Stage: When music truly hold center stage

With the vivacious Vimbai Mutinhiri now on board as co-host alongside Uti Nwachukwu on Africa’s first televised karaoke competition, TECNO Own the Stage, the seventh episode of the show had all the excitement and fanfare associated with a Christmas edition.

However, for Nandy, Yubu, Ramar254 and Mary, it was an episode of mixed feelings. They all got evicted! Couldn’t the judges just leave eviction for the week for Christmas sake? That was what they actually did.

Also, not satisfied with just wishing the audience a merry Christmas, the show’s judges Bien, Yemi Alade and M.I. attempt to serenade the live audience and viewers with their rendition of ‘Silent Night’ but that didn’t go according to plan.

Thankfully, Sikin’s performance of ‘Santa Baby’, a song originally sung by Eartha Kitt back in 1953 saved the day. And an enthralled M.I. described the Kenyan’s performance as “smouldering hot and beautiful.”

Sikin’s brilliant rendition was followed by another fabulous performance by Pascal, who sang ‘Mistletoe’. At the end of the performance, Bien described Pascal’s rendition of Justin Bieber’s 2011 hit as the Kenyan’s “first true performance” of the contest.

Next up was Tosin, who performed ‘Drummer Boy’. And for the first time in a long while, she received plaudits from Yemi Alade who had over the past couple of episodes been unimpressed with the Nigerian.

For Mary and Yubu, it wasn’t much of a great night. The judges were left unimpressed by Mary’s rendition of ‘Silent Night’ and Yubu for the first time since the commencement of the karaoke contest failed to hit the bull’s eye with the judges.

Zooccu’s rendition of the classic White Christmas was nothing like the best she could give, but she still impressed the judges with the efforts.

Shaapera stole the night with her rendition of ‘We Three Kings of Orient are’, a song written as far back ago as 1857 by Rev. John Henry Hopkins.

The Nigerian’s act was followed up by a somewhat suppressed performance by Ramar254, who attempted to own the stage with his rendition of ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’, a song first recorded by Judy Garland in 1944 and made popular 13 years later by the legendary Frank Sinatra.

The last contestant to take to the stage was Nandy, who nervously performed Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas’. And just like her fellow Tanzanian, Zooccu, it was also Nandy’s first time of performing a Christmas song.

Even though it was the season to be merry and jolly, somebody had to go home. And Nandy, Yubu, Ramar254 and Mary were all shortlisted for eviction by the judges. The tension came to a head when Bien announced that all four of them had been evicted from the show.

It was a pronouncement that was greeted with shock and disbelief by everyone, most notably the remaining five contestants who watched on in disbelief.

But moments later, shock turned into tranquil calm after Bien announced that it had all been a prank and that no one was getting evicted as it was Christmas.

It means that all nine contestants are still in contention for the $25,000 star prize.

Remember to keep up with the contest on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and don’t miss next Sunday’s episode on the various Africa Magic channels and on Masha Magic East. Broadcast times are as follows: Africa Magic Showcase – Sundays at 19:00 CAT, Africa Magic Urban – Sundays at 21:00 CAT and Africa Magic Family – Wednesdays at 19:00 CAT