E-Wallet contestant collapses on stage: Malawi talent show
Performances at the E-Wallet eviction show at Capital Hotel in Lilongwe had to be stopped for about 15 minutes, following the collapse of one the participants, 13-year-old Tawonga Kanthungo (EW 6) On Saturday.
She dropped the microphone and fell down just after she finished her performance at around 10:50pm – she did Adele’s ‘Rolling in the deep’ which she sang off-key from the beginning to the end, her worst act since the start of the show.
The youngest contestant in this year’s musical talent search show, was taken backstage where she remained unconscious for close to 20 minutes before she was resuscitated with the help of a medical practitioner and her family who were part of the audience.
It was believed that Tawonga, who was the ninth to perform, must have fainted due to nervousness and according to some of her fellow contestants, the young girl “had been nervous even before she went on stage.”
The nurse, who assured her family and the organisers that Tawonga was fine after she examined her, also said she might have fainted because she was nervous.
E-Wallet organisers also called for a nurse from Bwaila Hospital who also confirmed she was fit.
“She must have been tense after seeing that the whole of her family was here watching her,” said organising chairperson of the competition, Felix Njawala, who spoke to Nyasa Times after the incident. “The good thing is that she is now fine and after we spoke to the parents, they said she will go on with the completion.”
“We went to see her this morning [Sunday] but we did not manage to meet her because she went to church where was also singing,” he further said.
Tawonga is a member of the Calvary Family Church in Falls Estate in Lilongwe. Being young, the organisers allowed her to contest following permission from her parents and she is one of the hot contenders for the K500,000 ultimate prize.
Evicted
Meanwhile, four contestants including Grace Million, Tadala Mandala, Asante Ndalama and Ted Muva were evicted during the show, which now remains with twelve contestants namely Gabriel Simenti, Goma Nyondo, Hanna Kadammanja, Wakhumbachi Kalua, Tiwonge Soko, Yasinta Bodole, Eric Matewere, Mick Monyo, The Elements Dance Crew, The Floor Steppers and the young Tawonga.
Apart from the contestants’ performances, the audience was also treated to live performances by up-and-coming artists Marvin Hanke Junior, Military Boys, Piripiri Boys and the ‘Nyembanyemba boys’ Symon & Kendall, who besides entertaining the patrons with their music, also took turns to do some stand-up comics.
The Lilongwe eviction show, which was among others attended by Deputy Minister of Transport and Public Works Sosten Gwengwe and MP Godfrey Kamanya, goes on air on MBCtv Tuesday night from 9:00pm and then voting lines will be open to the public.
Viewers have to vote for their favourite contestants by sending their competition number which starts with EW as an SMS to 50505, for instance send EW 100 to 50505.
Njawala, also an MP, has however said though the show and voting are gaining grounds, there have been a lot of votes declared null and void because many people still do not get the voting process.
“Instead of voting for the contestant who they want to keep in the competition, some people are voting for contestants who they want to be evicted,” said Njawala while urging the public to keep voting and attending the live shows.
The next eviction show is scheduled to take place on 10 November at a venue to be decided.
Initially, the show was supposed to take place at Mount Soche Hotel in Blantyre but according to the organisers, the venue is not available on the date, which might force them to hold the show at French Cultural Centre or back at Capital Hotel.
