It takes a special kind of flare to put on incredible live performances - performances that keep audiences glued and absolutely stunned as the magical experiences unravel right in front of their expectant faces.
Performances capable of turning MPs into fans of the show enough to let them, like Suba North MP, Millie Odhiambo did, shower praises on one of its judges during an appearance on live TV.
After weeks of auditioning acts from the region, East Africa’s Got Talent went live on Sunday where we got to differentiate the "entertaining" acts from the truly talented ones.
From the moment the judges were introduced, the feeling that something special was about to happen lingered in the air. The stage was professionally lit, with a receptive crowd. Everyone genuinely seemed excited to be part of the first live audience.
Kicking off the night of eclectic performances was a humorous dance titled Fair Play. We were entertained when the act played football comically as they danced through their routine.
The host for the night, Ugandan comedian, Kansiime, was drop-dead gorgeous donning a beautiful figure-hugging striped sequin dress. Her humour both on camera and in between breaks kept the audience buzzing.
During the auditions stage, Elisha The Gift won over the judges with his Kinya-groove song dubbed, Nyiramwiza. But on Sunday, his set produced one of the most shocking moment of the night when Judge Jeff Koinange buzzed him midway through his performance.
His reason - Jeff found the dancers a distraction to Elisha’s voice.
A crowd favourite, All Eyes on Us, an acrobatic troupe who with a mix of dance lived up to the hype with an energetic performance. Their youngest boys were adorable and stole the crowd's hearts (Especially mine).
Clad in talent elevated by her confidence, 9-year-old Janelle Tamara made the judges fall in love with her all over again as she belted out Feel good by Nina Simone.
Her rendition was well received by the audience because she could control her voice as well as her stage presence.
Her confidence was everything. Judge Vanessa Mdee suggested she try something fun and less mature for the next performance.
Himbaza Drummers from Rwanda walked on stage balancing the 50Kgs drums on their heads. Drummed, jumped danced with them still on their heads. When they did finally put the drums down, they didn't break tune or synchrony. It was exhilarating and they got a standing ovation.
Known as Gaetano’s golden buzzer act, Accapella group Jehova Shalom from Uganda oozed suave. From their backdrop to their setup and props, everything was well thought out. They did a Mashup of R. Kelly's when a woman loves, no woman no cry among others.
Their voices blended in so well and all without any instruments. The crowd especially the ladies cheered them on for their killer matching tailored suits.
Tanzanian Musician Nandy was the surprise live guest and she captivated the audience with an act of her hit song Aibu.
The moment of truth came about when the acts that would be moving forward were announced.
Singing sensation, Tamara sailed through to the next round after bagging most votes in the online voting.
Acapella group Jehova Shalom was chosen by the judges over All Eyes on Us. An advantage for the singing group as Gaetano was determined to see his golden buzzer boys sail through.
The best part is that we get to do this all over again as the next set of six acts are set to take the stage next Sunday.
Tune in to #EAGTPoweredBySafaricom every Sunday at 8 pm on Citizen TV. You can also catch up with your favourite acts from the other episodes on YouTube.
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