Ugandan vocalist Joanita Lubega wins Danish talent show

Joanita Lubega Zacharissen sank on her knees and buried her head in her hands soon as the judges announced, in Danish, that she had won a whopping 250,000 Danish Krone (about sh130m) on Friday, in a major Danish singing competition known as "DR Live Singing," a competition that seeks out new live-singing artistes.

For her impeccable vocal performance and stage charisma during her performance of her upbeat songs "Heartbreak" and "Kiss Kiss" laced with Luganda and English lyrics, the judges did not hesitate to award her the best in the competition.

"The judges said, I was very unique throughout the competition," she told The New Vision. "They were looking for a fresh performing live singer in Denmark capable to perform at festivals and stadiums and that is how I ended up in the competition. I thank God I emerged the best of the best."

Known as "A small woman with a big voice" Lubega was born in Uganda in the ‘80s at Mulago Hospital. She is a singer-songwriter and gospel, pop, soul and Afrobeat artiste based in Copenhagen, in Denmark.

 
Lubega holds a degree in music attained from Complete Vocal Institute, a music school in Denmark.

She released her first Album in 2006 that was produced in Uganda by Fenon Records' Steve Jean, featuring local artistes such as Navio. Blu 3 and Mr. Mosh.

She has performed along with the legendary late Jazz Danish star Etta Cameron and warmed up for Don Moen and Alvin Slaughter.

She has been compared to US legendary Jazz and soul musicians Etta James and Nina Simone for ‘building bridges between the musical styles of music like gospel, soul, funk, pop and rock and roll'.

Local artiste Bebe Cool took to his Facebook to congratulate Lubega for her win.

He posted: "I don't understand the language the judges speak but am proud of Joanita the Ugandan contestant. Let's be proud of people who positively promote Uganda through their works, let's also support and promote her music career in Uganda and East Africa, Let's be proud of our country, culture, language and all the good/positive things in our country."