Just about to hit their mid- twenties, Sautisol, Kenyan top afro-pop band have brought vibrancy to the Kenyan live music scene. They are about to score another first. The group comprising four members Delvin Mudigi, Austin Willis, Polycarp Otieno and Bienaime Baraza, all aged 24 will make history as the first music group from East Africa to be featured in the globally acclaimed Festival sur le Niger (The Festival on The Niger River) in February this year.

The events of a few hours on December 31st have spawned the first of several, no doubt, media circuses of 2012. Taking centre stage in this “David and Goliathesque” debacle are security guard Rebecca Kerubo and Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza.

The best thing about a new year is that there are potentially 365 days filled with riveting entertainment ahead of us. And what’s not to love about that? UP did a little digging and we discovered some fantastic events that may just—fingers crossed -- occur this year.

There’s something undeniably cool and fresh about South African artists Ryzor and Ziyon, who form a musical/vocal “house” group called Liquideep. Maybe it’s because in a certain light, they could pass for doppelgangers of Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff. Or maybe it’s because they possess a certain “swagger”. Either way, in advance of their Blankets & Wine debut on December 18^th, we sought to find out what makes them tick. For instance, why do they constantly pursue substance and longevity with their music?

Training is central to my life. I take it seriously. So when an opportunity arose to have a workout that promised less work, I thought, why the hell not? Power Plate Training is slowly gaining popularity around the world and hailed by celebrities and top athletes, as the new-age training model of choice based on its effectiveness in terms of performance and result.

In the wake of what seems like a tsunami of international soap operas flooding our television sets, a homegrown telenovela offers safe harbor. Al Is On production presents, “Mali.” The show revolves around the lives of an affluent, polygamous family, rich to the bone but riddled with issues. The patriarch, Mr. Gregory Mali, is a chauvinist who runs his two homes like a military camp. The families clash when Mr. Mali dies without having written a will. They then become embroiled in a tussle over who deserves the massive Mali estate.

During the Kenya International Film Festival, top Nigerian label Chocolate City Records held a stylish listening party for its artists at the swanky Skylux Lounge in Westlands, Nairobi. The listening party was organized by the local branch of the Lagos-based Mtech Communications led by Ike Anoke. It was a pretty quiet Tuesday evening but hundreds of fashionable guests trickled into Skylux to see the stars that have been making Kenyans dance for years. Our people are extremely fond of Nigerian film and music, and that has created a very good cultural relationship between the two countries.