Blu 3: Lillian, Cindy & Jackie put up show-stopping performance after 15-year break

Singers Cindy Sanyu, Jackie Chandiru and Lillian Mbabazi, former members of Blu 3, came on stage at 22:15pm on Thursday, December 14, at Skyz Hotel Naguru, Kampala amid loud cheers and screams from the revellers that had eagerly waited for them at their reunion perfomance after 15 years.

­''Is this real or unreal? We had to just pinch ourselves too because it's like we are dreaming."

These were Mbabazi's opening remarks as she welcomed guests .

She later introduced Cindy and Jackie as the other members of  Blu 3.

After perfoming their first song Frisky, Lillian said when they started out, they were young girls, but are now grown women and mothers.

The three women used to be under Blu 3, but Cindy left the group and was replaced with Maya before the group dissolved.

Fifteen years later, the three great vocalists reunited and put up a great perfomance that left many yearning for more.

You could barely notice that they were apart for 15 years as they still remembered the lyrics of their songs and complimented each other well despite the very short period of time which they say they used to practise.

With all smiles on their faces you could tell the joy they had inside their hearts as they saw the large number of guests that turned up and still loved their music.

At one moment, Lillian even got emotional, with her eyes getting teary and asked for the glasses to conceal her tears. Many thought it was the lights that were causing her tears. However, during an interview with New Vision, she admitted that she was overjoyed about the reunion and the fans who showed them too much love.

The three vocal queens perfomed 10 of their songs. including Frisky, Woah, Burn, Strong Woman, Mutima, Nkwekumide, Ndi Beera Nawe, Kankyakyankye, Nsanyuka Nawe and Hitaji before each of their perfomed one song of their singles.

Levixone performing at Sky Hotel as a curtain raiser

Cindy got the most applause during the perfomance as she sang her part in most of the songs, but surely even the other two ladies were very much appreciated by the audience.

During their perfomance, they gave special shout outs to three people, including Steve Jean for having had the idea to set up a girls group that they were, media personality Titie Tabel for helping them out with Luganda lessons during their Kankyakyankye hit song since none of them had sang in Luganda before and finally fashion designer Martin Larry of Larry Casual for bringing them together again.

To tell you how unusual this show was, Sheebah Karungi whom many believe to have bad blood with Cindy applauded her perfomance by raising a glass.

Sheebah raising a glass while talking to singer Eddy Kenzo at the Blu 3 reunion on December 14, 2023. Photo by Ignatius Kamya

Being properly dressed was one of their traits back then and so even this time, they didn't disappoint as they smartly donned suits of red, white and purple colours.

The production was all great as you could literally hear every word that was being said something which is not common with Ugandan shows.

The stage lighting was a bit lacking and the organisers could have chosen a better venue because at pool side where the show was set up, many revellers expressed fear of falling into the water.

It was a short and sweet perfomance from the Blu 3 as it lasted only an hour and half. By 23:30pm, it was done, but many revellers didn't want to leave as they wanted more.

Talking about revellers, you could notice that the people at the venue were close to 30 years and above as they are the ones who know the Blu 3 the most.

Their excitment was real as they stood up from their seats to dnace to the music with others screaming whilst the rest sat down and admired the sweet voices that these three sensational ladies have.

Towards the end of the show, Lillian said they would be holding a concert next year in March on International Women's Day and its there that the fans will get to witness their greatness as they will perfom all the songs they recorded back then and the new ones in addition to one putting up a catalogue of the own singles.

Ealier, Maestro Band had kept the audience entertained as they played for more than two hours before Levixone came in with his Chikibombe and Embeera songs who then invited Eddy Kenzo to join him on stage.

For a group that had a bitter seperation, you couldn't believe they could put their misundrestandings aside and put up such a perfomance, Congratulations, ladies.