Last year, Covid-19 brought down the curtains on the Potchefstroom Campus’s annual Pukki Talent Festival, but this year the festival was back in an online burst of music, dance and drama.

This 39th Pukki Talent Festival showcased student talent in a variety of categories, ranging from classical to contemporary.

Humour and nostalgia, trumpet and piano, voice and movement were all harnessed to create magic on stage and in the hearts of the audiences.

Following face-to-face auditions, finalists were chosen and their performances recorded between 16 and 25 August 2021. From these finalists, the judges announced the first, second and third places in each category.

Alumni among the judges in the classical division were internationally acclaimed opera singers Jacques le Roux and Siyabonga Maqungo.

The four alumni who were part of the panel of judges in the contemporary division were Steffie le Roux, (singer and actor), Nacia Kruger (singer, actor, choreographer and former PUK Choir member), Valeska Constance (singer, Idols finalist and Zing winner) and Sinki Mlambo (overall winner of the 2013 Pukki Talent Festival and communication consultant).

Steffie, Nacia and Valeska were also members of the former Alabama Student Company.