Techno Own The Stage… Tough Gets Tougher

For contestants in the ongoing music reality TV show, Techno Own The Stage, it seems the usual excitement that comes with making it to the show has paved way for a battle for survival. This time, the contestants have all gone to their drawing boards, perfecting plans on how to out do one another, as well as impress the judges and viewers, who are vital to their continued stay in the contest.

The tenth episode of the show commenced with the host, Vimbai Mutinhiri, announcing that the contestants would 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.

With a star prize of $25,000, a recording deal, and a brand new TECNO Phantom 5 smartphone up for grabs, this episode was always going to be a fierce contest amongst the five remaining contestants. As expected, the show did live up to its billing with guest artiste, Falz the Bad Guy, providing 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 the challenge.

First up was Nandy and the beautiful songstress from Tanzania sang Nishike by Sauti Sol, 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 Swahili song, which literally translated to ‘Touch Me’. Though he praised Nandy for her good delivery, he however faulted her inability to bring to life the song’s sexiness.

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 saying, “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 representative Shaapera, who mounted the stage with her rendition of Yemi Alade’s Johnny. 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. In fact, Bien scored her a perfect 10/10.

Kenya’s Sikin was up next to perform another song from Ms Alade’s collection, K.I.S.S.I.N.G. It was an impressive outing, as she earned some commendation from Yemi Alade for her effort. She was, however, cautioned against flouting the first rule of karaoke.

“Don’t miss your lines,” Miss Alade cautioned.

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.”

At the end, it was time for the judges to announce who among the contestants would be making a departure from the show; Ramar254 was the unlucky candidate. It meant that for a third successive episode, a Kenyan had been ejected from the show. But Sikin and Pascal alongside the Tanzanian, Nandy, and the Nigerian, Shaapera, are still in the hunt for the competition’s finale.