TPF up close and candid in the principal's office

                       Tusker Project Fame

 

Pulse: What motivated the move to interchange Sheila Mwanyigha with Joey Muthengi as the co-host in this season’s Tusker Project Fame?

Darryl Seneka: There was need to re-energise the show and bring in a new face that would make the show even much better. It’s all about growing with the times. And Joey was the perfect candidate for this. She’s a piece of the new face of TPF. As you have experienced we have brought in notable music directors over the past few weeks and a new principal. All of who have brought a fresh air into the show.

Pulse: Some might argue that if it were about changing the face of TPF you would change Dr. Mitch as the co-host as well?

Darryl: We did not want to change the show 200%. Mitch is still a favourite presenter among the audience. And he has done a fantastic job over the years. We received a lot of negative press feedback about Sheila being a presenter from last year. This was one of the factors we considered before replacing her, which was a hard choice for all of us.

Pulse: So since Joey has been receiving negative comments especially from the social media, will she be shown the door come next season?

Darryl: Look. Bad press was just one of the factors we considered. We just needed to evolve and Joey was the perfect solution. Joey is a fantastic show presenter. When she came to audition she had to master one hour of script. She did the audition without even missing a single word in one take. I was completely blown away. She is amazing.

Pulse: So where exactly is the problem. Is it that there is no chemistry between her and Mitch that’s why the audience is so much against her being a co-host?

Darryl: Truthfully, during the first show she was a bit nervous but she has caught up so fast. What’s happening is Mitch can be quite the intimidating co-host with the larger than life personality. He is loud, witty and easily captures the audience. Joey has just to fight for her space herself and get to know him a little better so as to fit. In the coming weeks that will be achieved. 

Pulse: There was an attendance issue highlighted of how the dome was practically half-empty during the premier shooting of the first show. Is it that TPF having problems getting audience for the shooting of the free live shows?

Darryl: I cannot answer that quite fully as that is an East Africa Breweries Limited marketing issue. I personally give out tickets to the relevant people I need to attend the show and they all show up. Homeboyz is also in charge of giving out a number of other tickets as well. I agree that that was disappointing.

Pulse: During shooting of the TPF last season a question of language barrier was raised as one of the stronger contestants, Jackson, was being forced to sing in English while he was better in speaking and singing in French. Is that the case still this season? Are they only allowed to sing in a particular language?

Darryl: Not at all. If one is comfortable in singing in Kiswahili or whichever language its alright. As the series production team we don’t dictate what type of some a contestant should or should not sing. What we check is that if a particular song touches on sexual lingo we suggest to the music director to change it for the contestant. Since that’s not the audience TPF is targeting in regards to that particular song.

Pulse: How exactly is the voting system laid out? Obviously a small country like Burundi has little audience because of the population size and therefore a contestant from that country cannot be on same playing ground with a contestant from Kenya?

Darryl: The voting system is very much like that one of Big Brother Africa. Each country, among the six countries participating gets one vote. A contestant who gets the popular vote in one country gets one vote. This puts them at a level playing field.

Pulse: What happens in the case the music director for the week chooses a song for the artist a song that they are not comfortable in or is unfavourable with the judges? Many feel Amos and Josh were put on probation last week for rapping and not singing even though they did so well on that song.

Darryl: In my opinion they did a good job on that song. I was completely surprised when they were called out to be on probation. But as the producers of the show we have given them complete autonomy and can not influence their decision on who gets to be on probation or gets kicked out or not. Looking back at it, it was a blessing in disguise as they would have never know how big their fan base is out there were it not being on probation.

Pulse: There have been sound technical issues that were experienced during the show, especially during the premier of the show.

Darryl: I personally went to the T.V station airing the show and they assured me that this did not directly reflect in live broadcasting of the show. Only audience attending the live broadcasting at the dome experienced it. Then again this is a live show and such technical mishaps happen and we have excellent ways of dealing with them.

Pulse: On the Mobi web based voting platform introduced by the show in the beginning of this season, how effective is it?

Darryl: Majority of the show’s audience still prefer using the SMS platform. With the voting being in large numbers all across the six East African countries.

Pulse: What are the TV ratings of the show and social media statistics?

Darryl: Monitoring policies are primarily the work of the East Africa Breweries Limited marketing management. However during a status meeting I got to learn that the show actually has a viewership of 10 million. I can categorically state however that we trend on Twitter every other weekend when the show is on.

Pulse: A lot of past contestants have always vented their frustration on the TPF show as just another corporate gimmick to promote the beer brand as not much is done to promote their music careers after they exit the TPF academy. Are there any plans to support the contestants after they leave the TPF Academy this season?

Darryl: TPF just like any other music competition is a platform where the contestants get to showcase their talent in a huge way. Some of the contestants have already made acquaintances with the likes of Eric Musyoka, Eric Wainaina and Rimbui all of whom are producers and will produce some of their first singles once they exit the Academy. It is up to the contestants to take advantage of being in such a platform.

I have also personally got in touch with the BBA director and he has promised to have the winner of this season’s TPF to be allowed to perform during one of the eviction party in next year’s BBA and therefore gets to showcase their talent across Africa.

I have also talked to the EABL’s management and they are looking into supporting the contestants through the various events they have all throughout the year under their various brands of beverages.