MC for the St James municipal Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in Montego Bay, Brian Brown, puts his ring on the finger of 2008 Rising Stars winner, Cameal Davis, as she serenades him with a rendition of 'At Last'. - Noel Thompson

WESTERN BUREAU

Little did 2008 Rising Star Cameal Davis know that when she decided to serenade 'Santa' at the Municipal Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in Montego Bay, the tables would be turned and she would be swept off her feet before the end of the song.

Davis was part of an entertaining and lively programme in Sam Sharpe Square, Monday evening.

The singer had the crowd in a frenzy as soon as she was introduced. She came on stage and delivered Still I Rise, declaring that without God, nothing can be done.

Serenade

Spotting 'Santa', Supreme Ventures' Brian Brown, who doubled as the master of ceremonies, Cameal decided to serenade him with At Last. As she sang to him, her powerful voice penetrating the night, 'Santa' blushed, but by the middle of the song he had overcome his shyness and began to undress, getting the crowd quite excited.

He then knelt and slipped his ring onto her finger, causing the song to pause as he had her in stitches. By the end of the night, Cameal was wearing 'Santa's cape and hat, but even with all the distraction, she had given a mesmerising performance and returned to sing Spotlight as an encore.

Kahlil, who had taken the stage just before Cameal, gave a fabulous set, singing in perfect harmony and doing well-choreographed dances, the likes of which catapulted them to second place in the Rising Stars competition earlier this year.

They entered the stage with a lovely rendition of Silent Night then segued into popular hits such as Mavado's Overcome and On The Rock and Damian and Stephen Marley's The Mission, before moving into more international hits like Usher's In this Club, Ne-yo's Miss Independent and It Won't Be Long, done a cappella style. Every song was a hit with the crowd.

Mouth effects

Kahlil then brought on Mixing Lab who used his mouth to create sound effects for Natural Mystic, to which the group sang along. He then went into Busy Signal's Tic Toc and Rihanna and T.I.'s Live Your Life.

Mixing Lab also performed 'Gully Creepa' and 'No Linga' while popular Mobay dancer Marvin danced up a storm. All this time, the crowd was screaming uncontrollably.

Singing Just As I Am, Kahlil serenaded a young woman who smiled and blushed uncontrollably. When group member Q sang a line of a song to another woman in the crowd she began to sob. After they left the stage, they were welcomed back with wild applause, after which they sang Moving On Up.

Other entertainers who got the crowd going included Courtney Cooke, who told the crowd that he could have given up but didn't. He whipped them into a state of excitement as he called for peace and an end to the violence in society, through his lively songs Tired and Gimme Pass. As he sang Leave It There, on a ska rhythm, he did the shuffle and had the audience going wild.

Dressed in white, with gold and white headbands, Purity, the trio from Barnett Street, also had the crowd excited as they sang The Lord is My Keeper, Massa God a God, Don't Trouble Lion and other local church-inspired tunes.

Other entertainment came from Adoraccion, The Dynamic Gospellaires, Todah Dance Ministry, Karen Lawes and the junior choir of Family Church on the Rock.