Lilian Mbabazi sings her lungs out at Design Hub last Saturday. PHOTO BY MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
I have some advice for live music lovers in the country: anytime Lilian Mbabazi comes to your nearest town, get yourself to the concert hall! She is officially the queen of live music with strong vocals.
We have seen female musicians throwing jibes at each on who is better at live music.
They have called each other names and also dared each other for music battles. But obviously Lilian Mbabazi is not among them. Being one of the most vocally talented artistes aside, she has gone ahead to prove that live band music is as easy as ABC.
The former Blu*3 member before her showcase last Saturday during the Johnnie Walker fezah show at Design Hub told us in an interview that ‘Not every artiste can perform live’ because it takes time and with practice, you get better.’ This was evident at the event as she put up quite a memorable show with her Sundowners Band that she has been playing with for the last 10 years.
It was a night nothing short of a musical bliss for the revellers who attended the Lilian Mbabazi’s solo show last Saturday evening at Design Hub.
The artiste took them down memory lane with some of the songs she started with in Blu *3, then taking them in the future with some yet-to-be released music what she has now.
Before stepping on stage, comedian Daniel Omara first warmed the stage with his comedy skits. Then the stage went dark. Sound started echoing from the speakers. That sound you listen to in a cinema hall before the movie starts. It was shortly followed by the heavy beat of the base guitar while the person on the drums majestically made them sound like rain drops.
Finally emerging from the backstage, Lilian stepped in the middle of the stage with a single ray of white light pointing at only her structure wearing a black with yellow and blue floral kitenge. The smile on her face was an indication that she was ready to give revelers an experience they will take long talking about.
Lilian signaled the band and they kicked off. She started her two hour performance with ‘So sweet’, a song off her new album before going ahead to sing ‘Kuuma obudde’, ‘Dagala’, among other songs. Every after three songs, the former Blu *3 artiste would thank the audience for turning up and showing her love.
Lilian then switched things up by performing ‘Ndibera nawe’, ‘burn’ and ‘Hitaji’ reminiscing her days in Blu *3.
“This is somehow emotional for me,” Lilian said. “I wanna do something special. I want to perform my favourite songs from Radio.”
In 13 minutes, Lilian did songs such as ‘Katonda tambula nange’, Gutamiiza’, Potential, Ngenda Maaso, Heart Attack, obudde, Everything I do, neera and Bread and butter among others, all back to back.
She did each song in a minute and the audience’s reaction was a clear suggestion that this was their best moment at the show as some were seen video recording while others danced and sang along on their feet.
Other songs she did included ‘Dagala’, ‘Danger’, ‘Vitamin’ and ‘Memories’, her collaboration with A Pass. The event ended with Lillian giving guests a sample of her new album, a truly fitting zenith of a night that.
She thanked her fans for coming in big numbers and appreciated them for their support.
