In a thrilling display of vocal talent, stage presence and showmanship, 15-year-old Lilyfontein School pupil Makhosini “Khosi” Tauzeni took top honours in the Eastern Cape Has Talent competition in East London at the weekend.
Walking away with the coveted R10,000 prize, Khosi said it had not been the prize which had motivated him to enter.
“It was never for the money,” he said.
“I did it to prove to myself I can achieve great things.
“I came in with confidence and have left with even greater confidence.
“I am very proud of myself.”
Though he had showcased his singing and performance skills at school events and smaller gatherings, this was his first competition of this magnitude.
His confidence and poise on stage belied his age and experience.
Asked what made him stand out and ultimately win the competition, Khosi said: “I stood out because of how mature my voice is for my age and how I matched the song and my movements to engage the crowd.
“I was really excited when I was announced as the winner.
“I had a sense of anticipation when they were about to make the announcement because I truly had given it my all.”
Despite his anticipation, Khosi said when the announcement was made he had been overwhelmed.
“The next morning, I went to speak to my mom to make sure that it hadn’t just been a dream.”
Khosi said he owed his win to his music teacher, Kimaine Carr, and his family.
“Ms Carr inspires me a great deal,” he said.
“I also think my stage presence is a reflection of how I am on the inside.
“I have been fortunate to be raised by a good family, and they played a huge role in building up my confidence.”
Inspired by countless TV shows such as America’s Got Talent, Eastern Cape Has Talent has a similar format but is tweaked for its SA contenders.
Competition organiser Sally Collet said the sole aim was to search for new talent.
“We have a wealth of talent in the Eastern Cape which never gets exposed.
“The problem is that there aren’t many platforms to do so,” she said.
“Our main objective is to uncover this hidden talent and provide a platform for artists to show off what they can do.”
One of the competition’s challenges was to create awareness so as to reach bigger audiences, as well as financial constraints.
“It’s difficult to reach the broader community.
“Another challenge is the limited financial resources as we operate on donations from private funders.
“We keep our entry fee very low and then need to work frugally to ensure that the money received can be channelled directly into the aims and objectives of the competition.”
However, the competition has been successful in uncovering hidden talent.
“Khosi is an amazing young singer who, through the competition and with the guidance of the judges and the mentors, was able to develop from being just a singer to an outstanding performer — thus securing himself the title,” Collet said.
“We believe he has a bright future.”
Already having been invited to perform at the Umtiza Arts Festival, Khosi’s aim is to use his win as a stepping stone to greater success in the music industry.
“I plan to use the connections I’ve now acquired to help me become a better artist,” he said.
“I am also looking forward to representing the Buffalo City Big Band as a guest singer at the Umtiza festival.”
The competition’s organisers say they are committed to providing him with opportunities to showcase and harness his talents.
“He will be provided with further performance opportunities to assist him in developing his performance skills,” Collett said.
Khosi’s advice to others considering entering a talent competition?
“Never limit yourself. Whatever someone has achieved in the past can always be achieved again and with even greater purpose.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity that has been given to me and will definitely not let it go to waste.
“I want to thank everyone who made this possible.”
Daily Dispatch
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