As performances hot up in the race for a $25,000 star prize, in addition to a recording deal, and a brand new TECNO Phantom 5 smartphone in the ongoing Tecno Own the Stage reality show, Kenyan participant, Ramar254, was kicked out of the show, which entered its 10th edition last Sunday, just as Nigeria’s flag-bearer, Shaapera was applauded by the judges for a spectacular performance.
It was the third consecutive time that a Kenyan was evicted from the show, which now has four contestants in battle for the coveted prize and the attendant fame.
The last edition started off with host of the show, Vimbai Mutinhiri, announcing that the contestants were going to be doing songs originally performed by the judges – Nigerian Rap star, M.I., Yemi Alade and Bien-Aimé Baraza, of Sauti Sol, a Kenyan afro-pop band formed in 2005. This was an interesting curved-ball following through from last week’s epic battles where the contestants were paired in groups and had to square up against each other.
The show featured guest artiste, Falz the Bad Guy, who provided a beautiful rendition of his hit single, Karishika. Falz’s electrifying performance helped to lighten the mood in the studio as the contestants geared up for their own performances.
First up was Nandy, the beautiful songstress from Tanzania, who sang Nishike by Sauti Sol, who were 2014 winners of MTV Europe Music Award for Best African Act. At the end of her performance, Bien, Sauti Sol’s lead singer, explained the meaning of the song’s Swahili title which, literally translated, meant ‘touch me’. He praised Nandy for her good delivery but faulted her inability to bring to life the song’s sexiness despite the fact that the Tanzanian, in Bien’s words, was “a very sexy girl.”
Ramar254 was next, performing another Sauti Sol single, Money Lover. But he got a stern reprimand from Bien for missing his lines during his performance. Providing a humorous twist, M.I came to the Kenyan’s rescue by heaping all the blame on Bien. He said: “I don’t know who wrote that song. I don’t know what group sang that song but that was a terrible piece of music.”
It was thereafter the turn of Nigeria’s flag-bearer, Shaapera’s to take to the stage with her rendition of Ms Alade’s Johnny. And it was a performance to behold by the Nigerian who, unknown to the audience, had earlier been involved in an accident and was only given the green light hours before the episode was shot. The revelation made her feat all the more spectacular and she expectedly earned the judges’ adoration, with Bien scoring her a perfect 10 from 10.
The charming Kenyan, Sikin, was up next to perform another song from Ms Alade’s collection, K.I.S.S.I.N.G. It was a worthy presentation as she earned some commendation from Yemi Alade for her effort. She was also cautioned against flouting the first rule of karaoke: don’t miss your lines. It was Pascal’s turn to perform M.I.’s One Naira. It wasn’t the best the audience had seen of the affable Kenyan but it was enough to earn him some measure of praise from M.I., who nevertheless reminded Pascal that he fluffed his lines on a number of occasions. Bien, apparently still smarting from M.I.’s earlier jibe at him, praised Pascal for his good delivery of a song “he had never heard, and from an artiste he had previously never heard of.”
After that, the judges announced who would be making a departure from the show, which turned out to be Ramar254.
Still on the show is Sikin and Pascal alongside the Tanzanian, Nandy, and the Nigerian, Shaapera.
