Malawi E-Wallet talent show: Goma wows as Yasinta pulls out

Contestant EW 11 in the E-Wallet Talent Show, Goma Nyondo, on Saturday stole the show from his contenders when he mesmerised the audience with his performance in Lilongwe as he sang his rendition of  Oliver Mtukudzi’s ‘Ndakuvhara’.

Fondly known by his first name, the Mzuzu-based contestant was a darling to the patrons and anyone following proceedings outside the Capital Hotel Marquee could not be blamed if they thought the Zimbabwean Mbira music legend was in the capital city performing.

Dressed like Mtukudzi himself, Goma, who hails from the northern district of Chitipa, is one of the favourite contenders and during Saturday evection show, he kept almost everyone in the hall on their feet screaming “Goma, Goma, Goma” and splashing bank notes on him as he kept doing it the Tuku style with his guitar.

The audience kept on asking for more when he finished his set, forcing the E-Wallet Talent Show host, Chricie Tafadzwa Kanjira, to announce that “Goma would be back” later on.

To the delight of the audience, following a technical glitch with the equipment when another contestant, Mick Monyo, was about to perform, Goma was called back on stage, instead of comedian Mr Jokes who the MC had called but the fans said “No! We want Goma”, who came back with pomp as he dished out another Tuku popular song ‘Todii’ and this sent the fans even wild.

Goma in serious business, performing Mtukudzi_s Ndakuvhara. Photo by Kimpho Loka
Yasinta in our of her previous performances. Photo by Kimpho Loka.
Mr Jokes in action. Photo by Kimpho Loka

“This is a star in the making! I have been following this year’s E-Wallet from the very beginning and Goma is one contestant who is unpredictable and always unique,” said one patron, James Kalua of Area 15 in Lilongwe, who spoke to Nyasa Times after the show.

Pull-out

During the eviction show, which saw singer Hannah Kadammanja and the last rapper standing, Eric Matewele, getting evicted, other contestants, including dancers Floors Steppers and the Elements Dance Crew as well as other hot contenders Guise Pemba, Wakhumbachi Kalua and 13-year-old Tawonga Kanthungo, also performed.

Initially, it was supposed to be a Top 10 eviction show, however there were 9 contestants during the night following the “pulling out” of participant number EW 4, Yasinta Bodole, due to what the organisers termed as “personal reasons.”

“Yasinta left together with her fellow contestants coming to Lilongwe on Saturday morning but she later called to say she had to go back home to sort out some family issues. She said she’d catch a coach and attend the show only to call later in the day to say she had pulled out due to personal problems,” E-Wallet Talent Show projects coordinator Anthony Kafuwa told Nyasa Times.

There were speculations at the show that the contestant had pulled out because she was having pressure from her fiancée’s side as they were not happy with her travelling up and down during the shows in Blantyre and Lilongwe.

However, when contacted by Nyasa Times, both the contestant and her fiancée, Dipper Kaliyapa, who was spotted at every show to support her, played down the rumours, saying she had a lot of things she wanted to concentrate on.

“It’s not true, that’s not the reason. My in-laws and family have been very supportive and they made it to my shows and cheered for me. And my fiancé was tirelessly there for me always.

“I have work and some projects that I have to concentrate on and combining all that with the competition, it has been straining, that’s why I decided to quit,” said Yasinta in a telephone interview Monday morning.

She said it was a beautiful walk with the E-wallet crew and a dream come true, even though it ended unexpectedly but gracefully she was happy she went through it.

“It was a hard decision to withdraw, one that had tears and regret but it was the right decision and that’s what mattered most. Everyone who voted for me, you have my biggest apologies but one thing you have achieved which I will remember deeply is your faith in me. I don’t at all feel like I have lost, nope am a winner,” she said.

She further said through the competition she had learnt a lot and she was taking E-Wallet as stepping stone as she plans to venture into serious music in future.

Said Yasinta: “I have a gift in music  and coupled with what I have learnt at E-Wallet, it’s a plus. I want to serve God through music and pulling out of the competition doesn’t mean I have quit music.”

The next eviction show will be on 24 December at Sunbird Mount Soche hotel in Blantyre, before the finals that will be held on 31 December at Capital Hotel, Lilongwe.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
3 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Read previous post:
FAM bars Escom FC, journos, Miss Malawi from Carlsberg Cup reception

Escom United players and journalists from the country’s major media houses had a shock of their lives on Saturday evening,...

Close