The fear that many music contestants exude is the post-competition life. Broken down to what it is, that fear is getting abandoned by the competition organizers and left to eat dust. Yet some quit their jobs and abandoned school and family to participate in these competitions.
Well, barely two months have passed since the Coca Cola Rated Next singing competition, which ran in conjunction with Urban TV, came to an end, with the winner, Daniel Kaweesa, walking away sh50m richer with a recording contract.
And just when many thought it was all over, the top 10 contestants were pleasantly surprised when they received phone calls from Vision Group last week, asking them over for a meet and- catch-up luncheon at the Vision Group offices on First Street, Industrial Area Kampala.
“After the competition, my friends were telling me how they were receiving calls from different producers I waited for mine, but none came. But I was happy when Vision Group called me for this meeting,” said Proscovia Nabukeera, one of the Top 10.
Only eight of the 10 finalists; winner Daniel Kaweesa, Rebecca Nanziri, Comfort Asingwire, Kenneth Mugabi, Joshua Ssemwanga, Georgina Nampala, Doddy Mugisha and Proscovia Nabukeera, made it.
They arrived to a scrumptious lunch buffet as they cracked jokes with Vision Group staff: XFM’s Siima Sabiiti, one of the competition judges; Urban TV’s Bush Baby; Vision Group’s events organizer Joweria Nabuuma, Jemimah Kyazze and Marketing Manager Print and Printing, Daniel Komunda.
They were asked to speak about life after the competitions and the expected answers were given. With the exception of winner Kaweesa, who is in studio recording his music; runner-up Nanziri, who is working with Bukedde as well as singing with Fusion Band along with Doddy Mugisha, the others cited lack of promotion. Nanziri, who presents Omubimba music show on Bukedde TV, seemed comfortable in her place.
Kaweesa, who won the sh50m bounty, was so jocular, saying besides a heap of stalkers, he was recording songs with Fenon records.
Vision Group CEO, Robert Kabushenga, who is bent on making sure these fi nalists get something worthwhile out of the exposure they got, advised them to learn from American star Jennifer Hudson, who lost the American Idols contest, but worked hard and produced big hits that earned her international fame, to date.
“Whether you won or not, you remain a winner. The future is in your hands,” Kabushenga said. This is the first of the follow-up plans put in place for these finalists.
The plans involve identifying opportunities for the finalists and recommending them.
allAfrica.com