AS IT HAPPENED: Coca Cola Rated Next Finale

By Kalungi Kabuye, Caroline Ariba, Richard Sanya & Miriam Namutebi

20 year old Joel Kisakye is the winner of the just concluded Coca-Cola Rated, Next Sing It!, season three. Kisakye, who decided to give education a break in 2013, in pursuit of a singing career with Kassana Children's center, based in Luweero, beat three other contestants to be crowned winner.

This is how the evening unfolded

20:50: JOEL WINS!

true

Century Bottling MD, Norton Kingwill and Vision Group's Robert Kabushenga hand over the dummy cheque to Coca Cola Rated Next Season 3 winner Joel Kisakye. Photo by Richard Sanya

20:45: Electric performances from all the contestants...they like us face a nervous wait to discover who will emerge victorious.

20:41: Siima Sabiti did not even try to hide that she loved the performance, dancing endlessly as Ken Daniels smiled fondly. Like Ken Daniels, Esther Nabaasa smiled through Prudence’s performance, and clapped her hands in the end.

true

Prudence impressed the judges with this performance. Photo by Richard Sanya

20:33: The audience could not let him finish as they screamed along to his every musical note. Ken Daniels had words at the end; “you know there is 50 million at stake and you are not taking prisoners.” Indeed, Joel’s was the second standing ovation of the night, after Sherina’s.

true

Fan favourite Joel does his thing. Photo by Kalungi Kabuye

20:30: He might be the only male contestant left in the competition, but Joel Kisakye is not fazed, not by the furthest shot! His performance of Sauti Soul’s Nelea is just proof of that. 

20:25: Hitting high notes and holding her breath so long that Judge Ken Daniels could be seen shaking his head in respect. When asked what she thought of the performance, Siima Sabiti said; “I loved it when you first sung this song, I loved it now. My mamma was grooving to that song!”

true

Sherina received a standing ovation for her performance. Photo by Richard Sanya

20:22: Sherina Nabukeera’s performance just got the first standing ovation of the night. The girl with the big voice, as she is known in the competition, just made PJ Power’s Jabulani seem like an easy song. 

20:19: Esther Nabaasa, a judge on the show, loved it and also thought it Bomani’s best performance ever. “I thought you were comfortable!” Nabaasa exclaimed when asked by Malaika to say what she thought of the performance. 

true

Bomani Nkwaya, one of the finalists performs a song from the defunt Blu*3's catalogue. Photo by Kalungi Kabuye

20:13: The first individual performance of the night just ended. It came from Bomani Nkwaya, who blew took to a rendition of Blu*3's Nsanyuka Naawe. 

20:03: When asked what went through his mind whilst watching the singing trio, Ken Daniels  was positive. “I thought you handled it so well, we appreciate you,” he said. 

Tracy Birungi, Usher Nakitto and Doreen Mbabazi executing their reindition of Rehma's song Kaliba. Photo by Miriam Namutebi

19:56: The recently evicted Tracy Birungi, Usher Nakitto and Doreen Mbabazi were back on stage with a performance of Rehma’s Kaliba. It was déjà vu for the judges especially, Siima who could be seen swaying along as the other judges, Ken Daniels Kayongo and Esther Nabaasa smiled. 

19:50: Do I notice a sense of regret in the room as they listen to the voices of the three fellas who were evicted out of the competition? Before the three were even done, the audience was clapping, a sign that they really loved them. When tasked with saying something, judge Siima confessed that she simply wanted to hug them.

19:48: Plenty of love for the three musketeers! 

true

Perez, Draei and Elijah who were evicted earlier perform. Photo by Richard Sanya

19:45: Singing Neyo and Cellion Dion’s smash hit Incredible, Issa Bwango aka Draei, Elijah Kisakye aka Elisongs and Perez Bigrimana, have the room swaying along. 

19:38: Audience watch; we have some pretty improtant people with us tonight!

true

Century Bottling MD, ​Norton Kingwill, Vision Group MD, Robert Kabushenga and Robert Davies, the Marketing Director Century Bottling closely follow proceedings. Photo by Miriam Namutebi

19:31: Clad in a long peach dress, Coca-Cola Rated Next Season 2 finalist, Winnie Nwagi just stepped on the stage. The crowd definitely loves her, as many sing to her songs; some simply stare at her dress, and many just swaying to the melody.

true

Season 2 finalist Winnie Nwagi performs. Photo by Kalungi Kabuye

The show has definitely started and in-spite of the performance, the tension can be felt awaiting the crowning of the winner. 

19:25: Fashion alert! The judges are certainly dressed to impress.

true

Judge Siima (L) has gone for a look that wouldnt be out of place on a Game Of Thrones set! Photo by Richard Sanya

19:22: Singer Ekky takes to the stage in her Afro-fusion style as the crowd seems hypnotized. They seem not to know what to make of her quite bizarre performance, or is it the single queen dancer that is endlessly shaking her weave?

true

Ekky and her dancer entertain the eager audience. Photo by Kalungi Kabuye

Whatever it is, one thing is clear, she seems to have their attention. But trust Malaika the show host to tease Ekky into dancing some more. 

19:16: Malaika Nyanzi, the show host, has just set foot on the stage, and like she always does, lit up the room. Her dress is simply indescribable; raffles and glitter, blended in one. Esther Nabaasa, a judge on the show who has been noticeably away from the show is in the house, and yes the judge’s table is full. The room is in fits of laughter as the screen continues to bring the funniets of auditions to light.  

19:10: Here are the top ten contestants on the magnificent stage!

true

 Photo by Kalungi Kabuye

19:03: All this was rather exciting and the  crowd loved it. The top ten then took to a fun rendition of Pharrel William's Happy! 

19:01: The top ten contestants clad in Coca-Cola branded t-shirts take to the stage as the room goes silent in anticipation. But first, there was a teaser on the screen where the crowd was taken down memory lane. Flashes of the comics seen during the auditions, the talent that never made it to the top ten and some of the top ten finalists. 

18:58: It looks like team Joel Kisakye is here in full swing. Not that it was easy to tell at first, but when Vision Group’s Head of marketing and Communications, Suzan Nsibirwa called on each of the teams, it was evident. “Team Joel?” she asked and suddenly the room was reduced to screams, whilst some even stood up to cheer. The other contestants Prudence Nanyanzi and Sherina Nabukeera come next, while Bomani’s supporters are quiet, or is she just the kind with the Social media following? 

18:55: Talking about the judges we have three of them who have been a part of the rollercoaster since day 1. Singer and song writer, Esther Nabaasa, XFM’s Siima Sabiti and Ken Daniels Kayongo aka Ken Daniels from the newly revamped, Swahili Nation. They will ultimately decide the fate of the four hopefuls... 

18:50: The families of the respective finalists have come in numbers to support their very own!

true

A man carrying flags in support of Prudence. Photo by Richard Sanya

18:45: ​The stage is lit, the judges’ chairs though not occupied are set, cameras are rolling, and the crew is in place. All that should be happening any time now, witnessing as Joel Kisakye, Prudence Nanyanzi, Bomani Nkwaya and Sherina Nabukeera, lay claim on the prize. But also, all the top 10 finalists, even the evicted six, will be on stage in a show of solidarity. 

18:40: The live show is about 20 minutes away, but the Prime Rose Hall at Imperial Royale Hotel, is already full. The eager audience, here to witness the grand finale of Coca-Cola Rated Next sing it, does not seem moved by the fact that they will be waiting a while before the show starts. Easy to spot though, are faces of those who auditioned, and did not make it. It is quite obvious they are here to see who beat them to the sum of shs50 million, a one year recording deal with Swangz Avenue and an ipad.

18:13: And here are your finalists.

true

CLOCKWISE: Bomani (top left), Prudence, Joel & Sherina

17:58: Joel Kisakye, Rachael Bomani, Sherina Nabukeera and Prudence Nanyanzi are the four finalists that impressed not only the judges but the voting public too and have earned themselves a deserving place in tonight's finale.   

17:42: So its down to 4 contestants from the thousands that tried their luck at bagging a record contract, sh50m and an iPad. 

true

Even the young are here. Photo by Miriam Namutebi

17:30: About 90 minuts to the start of the show, but the llobby of Imperial Hotel is full of long ines of people wanting to come in. Doors not quite open yet, but tickets are being sold. 

MONTHS ago, Coca-Cola and Urban TV set out on a prowl for singing talent. 4 months later, the competition dubbed Coca-Cola Rated Next Sing it, season three climaxes tonight