Comedy prevails at Coca-Cola Rated Next auditions in Lira

Feb 16, 2014

Over the weekend, under the sweltering sun of Lira town, the second season auditions of Coca-Cola Rated Next Sing It were unveiled to the local populace.

By Nigel Nassar

LIRA - Over the weekend, under the sweltering sun of Lira town, the second season auditions of Coca-Cola Rated Next Sing It were unveiled to the local populace.

The auditions took place at Lillian Towers Hotel, right in the centre of the beat-up Lira town. By 1:00pm of Day One on Friday, close to 100 people with a ravenous pang for music had sauntered into the hotel premises to sing their hearts out.

First, music is the food shared by many and it was portrayed at the auditions. Hopefuls ranged from students whose lives are large blank pages and would want to fill it with their dreams; to car washers and street children who hustle through the alleys of Lira town.

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Who pulled it off, and who blew his/her chance? The judges were first-hand recipients of a cocktail of comedy! PHOTOs/Vien Obote

They were bonded by their insatiable thirst for music, and they wanted to quench it with a chance at taking home the staked sh50m and a recording contract with Swangz Avenue.

It seemed like a comedy session for the judges:X FM’s Siima Sabiti, First Love Features’ Sharpe Ssewali and Swangz Avenue’s Benon Mugumbya – because the hopefuls cracked their ribs with mirth.

The hopefuls, all of them, floated on the same boat; they lacked the darned talent. Some seemed like bathroom singers who only sing to themselves, privately.

Some, the brave ones, mimicked songs of fallen stars and their wacky performances, which, as you guessed, made the deceased to turn in their graves. Some looked like fish from water; clueless and absolutely lacking an ounce of talent.

A strapping 16-year-old Gerald Bright slid in large shoes and mimicked a Marvin Gaye’s ballad. The little lad blew off Judge Siima’s mind with the way he carried the big song on his brittle shoulders and surprisingly tried not to mock the fallen star. No doubt, he made it to Day Two. Him and other eight hopefuls, at the end of Day One, planted an impression on the judges’ faces and climbed up the next maze.

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Eddie Kenzo entertained  a huge crowd that had turned up at Lira Mayor's Garden on Saturday. PHOTO/Vien Obote

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These dancers kept the crowds' eyes glued to the stage. PHOTO/Vien Obote

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Scores of locals showed up at Lira Mayor's Gardens for free entertainment. PHOTO/Vien Obote

Day Two; the nine hopefuls again tried to show the judges that their passing through wasn’t a fluke; they sang to the best of their ability. At the end of the day, only six people made it through, and will be travelling to Kampala for a much bigger challenge.

These include: Lazarus Okello, a 2-year-old music producer; Tonny Oks, a 33-year-old IT specialist; Maximilliana Virginia, an 18-year-old senior six vacationer, Eric Onono, a-23-year-old IT student; Hatika Namyalo, a student; and 16-year old Gerald Bright.

When the sun went down, Lira’s auditions ended with an after-party at Mayor’s Gardens, where Mun*G and Eddie Kenzo were the main entertainers of the evening, while last season’s winner Daniel Kaweesa was unable t perform, as he fell ill.

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