Who are the 13 Dundastar contestants?
As music fans eagerly wait for the Dundastar Season One grand finale, we bring you the finalists in their respective categories. From the very first auditions, through the live elimination shows, these exceptional youth have proven that they are indeed talented. But, on Saturday, the judges will be seeking to identify the best of the best that Rwanda had to offer this season.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
As music fans eagerly wait for the Dundastar Season One grand finale, we bring you the finalists in their respective categories.
From the very first auditions, through the live elimination shows, these exceptional youth have proven that they are indeed talented. But, on Saturday, the judges will be seeking to identify the best of the best that Rwanda had to offer this season.
SINGERS
Khloe Mutesi
The quiet and soft spoken 19-year-old APADE student, Khloe Mutesi enjoys making new friends and her dream is to become a professional musician.
Mutesi auditioned for Dundastar Season One because she has always wanted to be a singer and considers this as an opportunity for her to make her dream come true.
Teta Kananga
Teta Kananga is a student at Mt. Kenya University and loves traveling. She says that she was inspired to join Dundastar by her close friend Chris, who died of brain cancer late last year.
Teta, 21, says she auditioned because of Chris. Her dream is to help young musicians to realise their dream.
Malia Carine Uwamahoro
Although Uwamahoro is not a stranger to the stage, the R&B/Soul/pop singer auditioned for Dundastar because she believes that it is a medium that will help take her music career to greater heights.
Heavenly Siblings
Heavenly Siblings is a group of gospel artistes in Kagarama, Kicukiro.
Nyagatare Yannick, the group’s frontman, believes that Dundastar will help the group improve on the stage performance and become popular on the music scene.
Rachael Uwineza
Uwineza is a student at Glory Secondary School and she has great interest in traditional music.
The 17-year-old auditioned for Dundastar talent search because of her love for Rwandan music. "I can sing, but I want the opportunity to become a professional traditional singer,” she says.
Jean Luc Ishimwe
Ishimwe is a student at Amis des Enfants. He joined the competition because he thinks that Dundastar will provide him with the avenue to actualise his dreams of greatness. The 18-year-old sings and plays guitar.
Yvan Barihuta
The IPRC (Kigali) student says he joined the talent search because he wants to become a better dancer. Aside from his dream to become a professional dancer, the 21-year-old Barihuta is a technician.
Axel Kalisa
Kalisa is a student at Amis des Enfants. He auditioned for Dundastar in order to showcase his talent to the international fraternity. He plays basketball in addition to studies and music.
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DANCE GROUPS
Sick City Entertainment
Sick City Entertainment is an upcoming dance group based at the French Cultural Centre in Kigali. The group comprises 10 members. Alain Boris Intwari, the frontman, says they auditioned because they want to prove that they are the best dance crew in Rwanda.
Jabba Juniors
This 10-member dance crew is based at Rafiki Club, Nyamirambo in Kigali and auditioned with the hope of increasing their chances of gaining more exposure and ultimately winning the Dundastar first season’s grand prize. The dance crew wants to use their talent to put Rwanda on the international dance map.
Snipers
This dance crew, based at Ecole Congolaise is composed of 10 dancers and auditioned for Dundastar because they see it as a way to build upon their musical abilities.
"We like challenges, so this competition was a great opportunity,” says Angelos Ndway, the Snipers leader.
Hunters Yankees
This nine-piece-dance group is hoping to use all their experience and talent to win the competition and be able to earn a living through dancing.
The group’s frontman, Pascal Nynadwi says: "We are the best dance group in Rwanda.”
Krest Krew
Krest Krew, based in Gitega, Kigali, is composed of seven dancers. They auditioned for Dundastar in order to learn more and be able to make the group more popular, and win the grand prize which would a major motivation.
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JUDGES
The season one judges have seen the contestants mature from the youth who auditioned into near-professional artistes who are now ready for the grand finale live concert in front of a huge audience.
Throughout the season, the show has featured guest judges such as Washington, a renowned Ugandan music producer, Vava and Erique from radio10, Spykie from Contact FM and Herve Kimenyi, a comedian/ actor and radio personality.
Below are the profiles of the grand finale judges:
Makeda Mahadeo
Makeda is a DJ and a radio presenter, hosting ‘The Switch’ show on Contact FM every afternoon, and she holds a Bachelor’s in Literature.
She is one of the few female DJs in Rwanda, and still one of the best DJ’s in the country with a huge fan base.
Makeda is a Solidarity Ambassador in Solid’Africa, a group of young people aiding vulnerable patients in Kigali hospitals. She has also featured in a documentary trailer called ‘Coming Back to Rwanda’.
As a judge on DundaStar Talent Search, Makeda brings experience and exposure. She adds that touch of style that artists need to have.
Cynthia Umurungi, aka Ginty
She started her radio career in 2005 on Flash FM. Ginty had never planned to work on a radio but she found a home in front of the microphone, and ever since, she hasn’t looked back.
Ginty is a youth activist, a member of the National Youth Council, and a Commissioner in the National Unity Reconciliation Commission.
As a judge on DundaStar Tv Show, Ginty as she is commonly called, brings professionalism, hard work, motivation, and passion for the youth. She also has a great sense of humor.
Anthony Remedios
The name Tony Remedios might not be a familiar one on the Rwandan music scene, but you’ll find him at Kigali Serena Hotel, Chez Lando, Chez Robert, the Indian-looking solo artiste, sitting behind his keyboards, crooning 60s and 70s songs in a deep baritone voice. He specializes in Soul, Blues and Country music.
Tony started his career in the 70’s and he has shared the stage with some big American bands of the time such as the Temptations, the Four Tops, Earth Wind & Fire, and The Three Degrees, led by Diana Ross. Tony Remedios hopes to set up a music school in the near future.
He was born and raised in Mombasa, Kenya, but he is of Indian descent.
As a Judge on DundaStar Talent Search, Tony fulfills his passion of sharing his talent with others.