Patrick Nyamitari, Rwanda’s representative to the just-ended Tusker Project Fame season six, returned home on Wednesday evening.The 30-day singing competition which ended on Sunday was won by Hope Irakoze from Burundi. Hope, who won the show’s Ksh 5million (about Rwf35m) grand prize, becomes the first Burundian to win the East African reality-singing competition show sponsored by Tusker Lager. Tusker Project Fame season six had been running since October and featured 18 contestants from six countries namely Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan.Nyamitari, who was in high spirits, was welcomed by his family, friends and celebrities alike. The delegation was led by the singer’s elderly father. Mighty Popo and Ngarambe Francois represented the celebrity fraternity.Speaking to journalists upon his arrival at Kigali International Airport, the jubilant Nyamitari said, “Despite not coming home with the coveted prize, I learnt a lot from the competition and the trainers were extremely helpful in nurturing our skills. I’m now committed to making songs that are internationally recognised especially in East Africa.” He noted that TPF offers a platform that makes an individual known which is important in the music industry. “The whole of East Africa knows me; it’s a good start for me and I’m going to start singing in various languages to help me reach all East Africans.”The 27-year-old encouraged Rwandans, who want to pursue a career in music to join such competitions because they are vital in improving people’s talents and helps them to diversify and discover other strong elements that they posses which they did not know about. “My friends have been telling me how impressed they were when they watched me perform a Michael Jackson song and pulling some of his dance moves. This is something I had never thought I’d do but the trainers challenged me and I gave it a shot. Now, I know I can dance as well as sing,” he concluded.
