The judges had a difficult time choosing the actual winner of Next Uganda's Music Icon.
"It is unfortunate that they can't be two or three, but one," echoed Judge Patricko Mujuuka before crowning the first ever winner of the Next Uganda Music Icon competition that has been running for a month at the National Theatre.

Fifty ambitious young singers, displaying magical styles such as lugaflow, kadongokamu, band music, among others, congregated to showcase their talents as they outdid each other in a title conquest, leaving the audience musically turned on.

At the start of the competition, judges found it a walkover to thresh out the 'unpromising' contestants unlike at the finals. "At the beginning, participants don't rank at the same level, and this, of course, enables us to quickly single out the good seeds, but at the end, everybody is almost at the same professional level," said one of the judges during the final show.

The judges, who included Mariam Ndagire and Patricko Mujuuka, had to sooth the five finalists who were breathing heavily and their hearts tinkling with anxiety over their chances of emerging star. Even the audience kept on shifting in their seats awaiting the final triumph of their favourite stars.

From all the selections, Mukoza Martin emerged as the crowd's favourite after proving that he could do it like Aziz Azion. He worked up the audience when he stepped up sing Nkumira Omukwano and Njagala wa mpisa, one of Aziz's latest hits.

Each of the five finalists were requested to sing a song of their choice, from where two contestants were eliminated leaving the final three to outshine each other.
"The time we've been awaiting is finally here,"Mujuuka said as the audience cheered on MARTIN!

One of the crowd's favourite Martin was finally announced as the second runner up with a cheque worth Ushs.400,000. Winnie Nassiwa, who sang Angella Kalule's Kankwekumire, was the first runner up, waltzing off with a Ushs. 600,000 cheque.

Due to his excellent stage performance, David Mugabi who sang the late Elly Wamala's songs emerged as the grand winner making off with a cheque Ushs. 2m.
The 24 year old savedee (Born Again Christian) is planning to launch his first album in a few weeks time. He is to buy a plot of land from his fortune.

 Mugabi will enjoy the privilege of traveling to Washington D.C where he will attend the UNAA conference and also perform for Ugandans in the US diaspora. Amongst other goodies, the youngster earned himself a recording contract with Kasiwukira music studio, besides, a free wardrobe from fashion icon Stella Atal.

As a gesture of appreciation, the finalists have been invited to perform at the forthcoming Bayimba cultural music festival. The next competitions will rotate around the different regions of the country. blog comments powered by Disqus

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