Eric Moyo Of Zimbabwe Wins Idols East Africa 2008

It’s finally over.

After the final face off between Eric Moyo and Nichollete Kiiga, Zimbabwe has something to celebrate after their son Eric Moyo won Idols East Africa 2008 in a 90 minute finale at the Bomas of Kenya. Eric is a brilliant singer who most certainly deserved the US$80,000 and the Sony BMG recording contract. He got himself, the judges and his mother all teary eyed with Michael Bolton’s ‘When a man loves a woman’. No blushes for Angie this time. All the attention was for mum and the audience. ‘This is my everything’ which BMG composed for him was just not Eric at all and other than the words, the melody and the flow of the song did not match the magnitude of the moment. And it did not sound any better the second time round after he was declared winner. BMG could have done better.

Nicholette was quite the sweet and soothing songbird especially in her first performance although that is not to say the others were not good. After performing the BMG composition ‘Goodbye Baby’, the judges thought that she sounded very appropriate doing an original. Let’s hope that’s a sign of things to come.

It was good to see the top 10 back on stage although these group performances never quite work. Of all other duets somebody picked a Whitney Houston song for the great pair that was Eric and Nicho. Worse still the West African Idols picked Alicia Keys which the other Eric performed in dark sunglasses. That was painful to watch. Other than that, the solo by Omawumi was really cool. The girl is quite a performer too.

Identity did a good job in dressing the Idols.

Idols East Africa - Eric Moyo, Adiona Maboreke, Trina Chisanga and Nicholette Kiiga

This time my girl is Nichollete. Although Amarra’s departure was a shock, it’s just as well Nichollete stayed after all. This week song choice was up to the producers and her first performance was ‘Do you know where you’re going to’ by Diana Ross. It turned out to be the best song choice for her. The thing is, at just the right pitch Nichollete’s voice sounds almost angelic and very well controlled. It is when she hits the lower notes that things don’t seem to work well for her. If she chooses her next songs carefully and with this in mind, that pleasant aspect of her voice along with her sweet personality might give us all a shock. Including Eric and Trina both of whom seem to believe they’re home dry already. I agree completely with Kawesa this time. Nichollete’s performance was like a soft massage to the soul.

If it matters at all, her wardrobe was also quite a smash. She looked the angelic part in that white top while she was doing her first song and then she wowed us all with a shimmering metallic silver dress reminiscent of Leona Lewis in ‘Bleeding love’. Now compare that to Trina’s military trousers and dungarees. I respect Trina’s taste but girl! Military pants? Anyway’ it’s not a fashion show so let’s get down to her music. I honestly think Trina gets overrated sometimes. Sure she can sing but so can all the other finalists. This week especially was tough for everyone and Trina was no exception. She seemed to struggle with Mary Mary and Christina Aguirela’s songs. Idols East Africa is known for shocks and aftershocks and she better watch out. Just ask Amarra. And she has written off Nichollete and Adiona already. Asked whom she thought were the best Idols, she counted herself, Eric and Amarra. That interview was of course before the Amarra eviction shocker.

My guy Eric whose Afro hairstyle is getting bigger and morphing into dreads performed ‘All Night Long’ by Lionel Richie. In my opinion that was the perfect song choice for him and he did not disappoint. Second choice ‘End of the road’ by Boys to Men was just the right song for him to ooze his characteristic romance on stage. He delivered alright but I must say his theatrics were a bit annoying this time. Surely the audience will forgive him if he does not involve them just once? He’s still in the contestant stage and not yet a performing artist. He sure has the strongest of voices although the backup provided at bomas was not doing him any favours. It was masking his singing rather than complementing it. So much for third world sound systems.

Adiona seems to be always floating along somewhere but I don’t know how long her luck can run. She may have taken over the role of Houdini from Cynthia Kuto. She dared a Celine Dion song for the first performance and gave it a not too bad try. And producers, how could you choose Rihanna’s Umbrella for someone? If she leaves this week you take part of the blame for selling her out surely! Even the judges had a rough time praising her after Umbrella. Everybody two finger in the air??! That was a complete no no. But she looked hot in both her outfits.

I’m hoping one of these days before the show ends someone will sing Listen by Beyonce.

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