East Africa's Got Talent is a talent show competition that is part of the Got Talent franchise owned by Simon Cowell. It broadcasts simultaneously across four countries in East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda.
Winners Season 1: Esther and Ezekiel
Judges
Season one Jeff Koinange (Kenya)
Vanessa Mdee (Tanzania)
Makeda Mahadeo (Rwanda)
Gaetano Kagwa (Uganda)
Show structure The show has two rounds of auditions. The first round referred to as, pre-auditions is held across different cities in each participating country. The second round, referred to as, theatre auditions are done later at a setting in front of Judges and live audience.
Preliminary auditions
The pre-auditions were held in major cities in each country which included Nairobi, Mombasa, Dar es Salaam, Kampala and Kigali.
Theater auditions
Once a performance is over, each judge will give an overview of what they thought about the act, before casting a vote.
The judges are allowed to use the golden buzzer to send an act directly to the semi-finals. Each judge can only press the golden buzzer once throughout the entire season.
Deliberations
After the completion of theater auditions, the judges whittle down the acts to only eighteen to compete in the semi-finals.
Live shows
Semi-finals
The live shows include three episodes of semifinals in which the successful eighteen acts from the auditions get to compete for a spot in the finals. In each episode, six acts perform. The act with the most public vote automatically goes through to the finals while the judges choose from the 2nd and 3rd respectively in the public vote. In case of a tie, the act placed 2nd in the public vote advances to the finals. A judge can buzz if not impressed with the act. The performance can be terminated if all the judges buzz the act.
Finals
The final episode operates using the same format as the semi-finals, though this time the winner is determined purely by a public vote, with the finalists attempting to secure more votes than the others by performing a new routine at their best.
The host announces the results with the act gaining more public votes declared the winner. The winner receives a grand prize of 50 000 dollars.
Auditions The show had two rounds of auditions. The first round referred to as, pre-auditions were held across different cities in each participating country. The second round, referred to as theatre auditions, were done later at a setting in front of judges and a live audience.
Preliminary auditions
The pre-auditions were held in major cities in each country.
Theater auditions
Theater auditions were held in Mpesa foundation academy, in Kenya in front of judges and a live audience. This event was pre recorded. The judges cast a vote to either eliminate an act or send it through to the next stage.
Golden Buzzer
The judges had a choice to press the golden buzzer which sends an act direct to the semi-finals.
The first Judge to press the golden buzzer was Vanessa Mdee for Uganda's 7year old, Leyna Kagere.
Jeff Koinange pressed his second golden buzzer for Tanzania's Team Makochokocho.
The third golden buzzer from Makeda went to Hoziyana Peace (23) from Rwanda.
The last golden buzzer was pressed by Gaetano Kagwa for Uganda's Jehova Shalom Acapella.
Participants These participants made it past theatre auditions by securing at least three yes from the judges.
Winner
Runners up
Golden Buzzer - Auditions
No. Participant Act Origin Result1 All eyes on Us Acrobat dancers Uganda Semi-Finalist 2Leyna Kagaere SingerUgandaSemi-Finalist 3Esther and Ezekiel Singers (duo)UgandaWinner4Jua Kali Drummers Drummers KenyaSemi-Finalist 5PeaceSingerRwandaSemi-Finalist 6DNAComic dancersUganda Finalist7Tetemesha DancersKenyaSemi-Finalist 8Yada DanceContemporary dancers KenyaSemi-Finalist 9LizGymnastic Acrobat TanzaniaSemi-Finalist 10SinaubiInstrumentalist TanzaniaSemi-Finalist 11Intayoberana Cultural dancersRwandaRunners up 12Spell CastSinging groupKenyaFinalist 13MakorokochoDancers TanzaniaSemi-Finalist 14Himbaza clubDrummersRwandaSemi-Finalist 15The Mason 666Street DancersTanzaniaSemi-Finalist 16Jannell Tamara SingerKenyaFinalist17Jehovah Shalom Acapella A capella group UgandaFinalist 18Elisha the GiftSungerRwandaSemi-Finalist
Semi-finals The Semi finals were filmed live at Catholic University of Eastern Africa
Eighteen acts that got through from the theatre auditions battled it out in a heated competition to secure a place in the final six. Six acts performed each week and only two made the cut. Buzzed Out | Judges' choice |
Semi-finals 1 (September 15) Guest Performer, Results Show: Nandy Time Order Semi-finalist Origin Act Buzzes and Judges choiceResult 10.00pmGaetanoMakedaVanessa JeffSunday 8.00
Pm
(EAT) 1 The Mason 666 Tanzania Street dancers Eliminated 2 Elisha the Gift Rwanda Singer ❌ Eliminated 3 All eyes on Us Uganda Acrobats Eliminated (Lost Judges' Vote)4 Jannell Tamara Kenya Singer Advanced (Public Vote)5 Himbaza Club Rwanda Drummers Eliminated 6 Jehovah Shallom A capella Uganda A capella group Advanced (Won Judges' Vote)
Non-competition performances +performer Country Act NandyTanzania Singer
Semi-finals 2 (September 22)
Guest Performer, Results Show: Serro
Time Order Semi-Finalist Origin Act Buzzes and Judges choiceResult 10.00pmGaetanoMakedaVanessa JeffSunday 8.00
PM
(EAT)1 Liz Rafael Tanzania Gymnastic acrobatic Eliminated2 Intayoberana Rwanda Cultural dance Advanced (Public Vote)3 Esther & Ezekiel Uganda Singers(duo) Advanced (Won Judges' Vote)4 Yada Dance Kenya Contemporary Dancers Eliminated 5 Leyna Kagere Uganda Singer Eliminated (Lost Judges' Vote) 6 Tetemesha Kenya Dance group Eliminated
Non-competition performances Performer Origin Act Serro Kenya Singer
Semi-finals 3 (September 29)
Guest Performer, Results Show: Bruce Melodie
Time Order Semi-Finalist Origin Act Buzzes and Judges choiceResult 10.00pmGaetanoMakedaVanessa JeffSunday 8.00
Pm
(EAT)1 Jua Kali Drummers Kenya Drummers Eliminated2 Peace Rwanda Singer Eliminated (Lost Judges' Vote)3 DNA Uganda Comic Dancers Advanced (Public Vote)4 Sinaubi Tanzania Instrumentalist Eliminated 5 Spell Cast Kenya Singers(Group) Advanced (Won Judges' Vote)6 Makorokocho Tanzania Dance group Eliminated
Participant Origin ActBruce Melodie Rwanda Singer
Final
Finale (October 6) The Finale was filmed live at Catholic University of Eastern Africa.
6 acts had to step up their game and battle it out for the grand prize of $50,000.
Guest Performer, Results Show: Ommy Dimpoz. Time Order Finalist Country Description Buzzes and Judges choiceResultGaetanoMakedaVanessa JeffSunday 7.30
Pm
(EAT)1Spell CastKenyaSingers(group)Finalist2IntayoberanaRwandaCultural dance2nd3Jannell TamaraKenyaSingerFinalist4DNAUgandaComic danceFinalist5Esther & EzekielUgandaSingers(duo)1st6Jehovah Shalom A capella UgandaA capella group Finalist
Participant Origin Act Ommy Dimpoz Tanzania Singer
Awards The winners won $50,000, c. KES 5,000,000.
Controversy Concerns were raised about the Burundian drummers not coming from the four participating countries namely Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania. The producers of the show released a statement clarifying that the group members were legal residents of Rwanda and had all the rights to participate as participation was open to anyone from the four countries.
References