South African group, Hush SA are the winners of this year’s edition of Old Mutual Amazing Voices singing competition.
The group’s crowning moment came on Sunday during a spectacular grand finale which was aired on Mzansi Magic, Mzansi Wethu, (South Africa) Africa Magic (Nigeria), Maisha Magic (Kenya) Zambezi Magic (Zimbabwe) and Akwaaba (Ghana).
For their victory, Hush walked away with a prize money of Sh10 million.
Kenya’s all-male band, Vipaji, were eliminated in the preliminary stage of the competition, leaving behind compatriots, Malkeeya, an all-girl band, who also did not go far.
Malkeeya failed to emulate compatriots Wanavokali – the competition’s inaugural winners – bowing out of the competition after two rounds of performances before six judges.
Hush SA, a six-member group, was among 546 initial entries from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and South Africa who entered Season 2 of the competition.
Little did they know that their entry would see them commence a long and rewarding journey that culminated with victory in Africa’s premier acapella event.
Carol Kipsanai, Group Head of Marketing of UAP Old Mutual, East Africa congratulated the winners, saying the competition’s aim to create African connections through the universal language of music.
“Our purpose at Old Mutual is to champion mutually positive futures across all the African markets in which we operate. This competition demonstrate that with the right financial partner, anyone can do great things and become their exceptional best,” Kipsanai said.
The competition began way back in October 2020, when, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, entrants were encouraged to submit online performance videos to Old Mutual and DStv for review and selection.
Musical boot camp
The entrants, drawn from the five countries, were all unsigned artistes looking for a breakthrough that would take their careers to the next level.
After the initial screening process, successful entrants advanced to the second grueling stage; auditions in their respective countries where they appeared before celebrity judges. Two groups from each country, were then selected to be part of the Amazing Voices Season 2 Top 10.
The finalists, including Kenya’s Malkeeya, had an opportunity to attend an intensive musical boot camp at Sun City.
The Covid-19 bubble production and musical boot camp at Sun City kicked into gear with the Top 10 unsigned groups, comprising 65 contestants.
During the boot camp, the surviving groups, made up of between four and eight members, were put through vocal as well as stage presence training by the Amazing Voice coaches.
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