Nigerian Idol, one of Africa’s biggest music reality TV shows, is back with a bang.
The first episode of the show, which is now in its sixth season, premiered on Sunday, March 28, 2021, on Africa Magic. Following the pre-show which began airing on March 14, 2021, this season’s first round of auditions got off to a flyer, with contestants from all around the country appearing before this season’s judges – Obi Asika, Seyi Shay and DJ Sose – each of them eager to take a shot at stardom.
Akunna Okechukwu, a 23-year old entertainment lawyer from Lagos, was able to impress the judges with her brilliant rendition of James Arthur’s hit song “Roses”. Seyi Shay commented on her nervousness, but the judges loved her performance nonetheless, and unanimously decided that she was worthy of a golden ticket.
Israel Victor’s performance of Bruno Mars’ “Versace On The Floor” was convincing enough for the judges to each give a nod. Ayomide Johnson made a quick impression with her wit as well as her humour, and handed in a good cover of Loren Allfred’s “Never Enough”. However, Arinze Ibeh fluffed his lines, Matthew Okwu failed to hit any notes with his version of John Legend’s “All Of Me”, and Jesse Adisa’s cover of Bruno Mars’ “Grenade” did not create any sparks.
Azubuike, fashion designer, walked into the room with a lot of swagger, but that confidence did not extend to his performance. 26-year-old Michael Macaulay spent the first few minutes reiterating his desire to promote his EP, but his mashup of Styl-Plus’ “Olufunmi” and Davido’s “Jowo” did little to convince the judges, and Seyi Shay’s comments left him in tears.
Azigalobari Menegbo, fashion designer, wowed the judges with his cover of Timi Dakolo’s “Iyawo Mi”. 23-year-old Faith Mac also earned a golden ticket with her rendition of Loren Allfred’s “Never Enough”, but the same could not be said of 17-year-old Mayowa Odueyungbo, who struggled to project his voice, much to the amusement of the judges; DJ Sose described his performance as “whistling”.
Stella bungled her rendition of Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love Of All”, and Meshach Oshachi’s version of “Lord I Give You My Heart” was met with disapproval. Chigozie Oleka was berated for his renditions of the Empire cast’s “What Is Love” to the point that DJ Sose walked out of the room. Benjamin Ayemere, on the other hand, made the judges smile with his rendition of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Will Come”.
The most emotive performance of the night was that of Clinton Francis. The 24-year-old, who covered Labrinth’s “Jealous”, told the judges that he had dedicated the performance to his mother, who had been having it rough since his father deserted them. His vocals were strong enough to earn him a golden ticket.
The major talking point of the night, unsurprisingly, was drawn from Seyi Shay’s scathing criticism of Mayowa Odueyungbo’s performance. Viewers felt that she was too harsh, especially with her statement along the lines of “you’re not going to make money being a singer”, and they made their feelings known.
“I think the judges of Nigerian Idol should be calming down. They are a tad harsh”, said Frank Edoho, who is famous for hosting 13 seasons of the reality game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.
“Seyi Shay should have tried the sandwich approach. Praise first, criticise and praise them again”, said Aproko Doctor, a medic and Twitter influencer.
There were those, however, who saw nothing wrong with what she did.
“Why are we suddenly having palpitations over Seyi, when we laugh at what Simon (Cowell) does? You don’t go to Idol expecting cuddling”, Abigail Chukwu, a writer, stated in a tweet.
On her part, Sey Shay appeared to be unfazed by the backlash, with her reaction making reference to the fact that she was trending.
“I’m feeling like #JudgeJudy right now”, she tweeted. “You either LOVE her OR you hate her, and that’s quite ALRIGHT. Either way, thanks for the #1 trend”.
Those who feel that Seyi Shay went overboard with her comments may have forgotten some of the intricacies of Nigerian Idol. Contestants have only one shot at fame, at least for that season. There are no double takes, no second chances. The atmosphere is like a gladiator’s arena, but for musicians. To reference the Hollywood movie 8 Mile, there is no room for “choking” or for slip-ups. Those who wish to take the giant leap towards greatness have to come prepared, and in any case, the judges are under no obligation to provide a soft landing. They are not therapists; they are a wake-up call, a reality check, and their job is to separate those who have singing potential from those who are simply not cut out for it.
As for the question of language and tone, it is very clear that the people who are chiding Seyi Shay have forgotten the antics of Simon Cowell on American Idol, or the brutal honesty of Piers Morgan on Britain’s Got Talent. These two men held nothing back in their assessment of hopefuls who appeared before them: Cowell once referred to an audition as “torture” and “excruciating”. Morgan once made a little girl cry. On the home front, a few years ago on Nigerian Idol, Dede Mabiaku expressed his displeasure with a contestant’s rendition of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s “Gentleman”, saying “you make my stomach turn”.
The truth is not always pleasant, and the show needs a music veteran like Seyi Shay, who won’t sugarcoat things. She is clearly prepared for the outrage, if her tweet on March 24, 2021 is anything to go by.
“I know I’m gonna get crucified by some of you holier than thou”, she said. “But hey, if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen”.
Contrary to many of the views expressed on social media, it is necessary to see Seyi Shay do more of this. Reality shows need strong opinions, and this season of Nigerian Idol is better off with her in it.
Nigerian Idol Season 6 is hosted by IK Osakioduwa, and the show is sponsored by Bigi Drinks and Tecno Mobile. Viewers can watch the new season of Nigerian Idol via the DStv App on multiple devices at no additional cost. The app is available for download on iOS and Android devices. For most information, visit www.africamagic.tv/nigerianidol.
