16-YEAR-OLD CROWNED STARBRITE WINNER
TEENAGE sensation Tinotenda Maruba has been crowned Starbrite Season 8 winner.
The 16-year-old also becomes the first teenager to win the talent show since its inception.
Tinotenda shrugged off stiff competition from first runner-up Ngonidzashe Moreni and second runner-up Banele Sibanda.
The teenager walked away with a recording contract, a residential stand, 10 000 bricks and food hampers from Colcom and Lake Harvest.
“I am so excited and humbled to have been announced as the Season 8 winner. I couldn’t have achieved this without the support from the producers behind the show.
“I would like to thank my parents, Mr Mpariwa and the crew behind the scenes for believing in me and for guiding me through the competition,” said the teenager.
According to show organisers,
they were cleared to host the competition during the lockdown, but faced a number of challenges.
“Season 8 contestants had their dreams hanging in the balance as Covid- 19 wreaked havoc, with Government like other authorities on the globe, calling for restrictive interaction through the lockdown
regimes enforced.
“Our contestants could not travel, but acting cautiously and abiding by the law of the land, we managed to get clearance from authorities and progressed with the show adhering to strict set regulations to curb the spread of Covid-19,” said show director Barney
Mpariwa.
Mpariwa said Season 8 will go down memory lane as it proved their abilities as hosts.
“Before the pandemic kicked in we had already put in place mechanisms to broadcast the show live on Facebook, SMS and caller platforms to keep communications lines with audience and followers open.
“These platforms contributed 30 percent of the outcome with the reality show’s voting platforms having done justice giving credit to the show.
“StarBrite Season 8 will surely go down as one of the best reality talent show ever produced given the quality of performances and also the conditions under which producers strived to maintain that safe space as contestants from the four corners of the country battled it out for the ultimate prize,” he said.
Meanwhile, preparations and auditions for Season 9 are already at an advanced stage.