With only 9 people left to choose from, the stakes had gone even higher on Nigerian Idol, Africa’s biggest music talent competition.
The remaining contestants were aware of the fact that their fate lay in the hands of the viewing public: votes were the sole determinant for who would stay and who would leave. The judges – Seyi Shay, DJ Sose and Obi Asika – could only watch, and probably leave a few comments. The host, IK Osakioduwa, was left with the thankless job of reeling out the names of contestants: of the nine left, one would have to say goodbye by the end of the night. They were clearly at the mercy of the fans.
For the live performances that held on Sunday, May 23, 2021, the theme was “Naija Hits”, and the first contestant to be called up was Daniel, who attempted to put his own unique spin on Brymo’s “Good Morning.” DJ Sose commended his dance moves, and Seyi Shay seemed pleased too.
Comfort, who received enough fan votes to keep her in the competition, opted to try out a cover of Simi’s “Duduke”. Her confidence radiated as she sang, and Seyi Shay remarked that she had come out of her shell, but advised her to maintain her energy throughout the duration of performances.
For 25-year-old Faith Jason, who fondly reminisced on receiving the golden ticket from Seyi Shay during the auditions, Flavour’s “Awele” was his song choice for the week’s theme. His performance was well-received by the judges, with Obi Asika noting that he “took it right home.” However, Seyi Shay had a small complaint about his hair.
The next contestant to be called up was Emmanuel, who reflected on how he was the only one in his group to be saved during Theatre Week. He performed a cover of Teni The Entertainer’s “For You”, with vocal assistance from the live band. Seyi Shay had nice words for his stage performance, and Obi Asika lauded his energy level.
Akunna knew that she was taking a risk when she decided to take up a cover of Seyi Shay’s 2013 hit “Loving Your Way”, with some help from the live band. Her strong voice shone through, and Obi Asika remarked that she did not hit any wrong notes. Seyi Shay, who composed the original version, was visibly impressed.
The voters were also kind to Francis, who went with Flavour’s wedding anthem “Ada Ada”, a song he had once performed years ago as a backup singer. DJ Sose commended the fact that he seemed to be having fun. On his part, Obi Asika remarked that he had a “stadium voice”, comparing him to Neil Diamond.
Kingdom, whose audition in the earliest stages of the competition drew Seyi Shay to tears, handed in a cover of Davido’s 2014 smash hit “Aye.” The judges did not seem to enjoy the performance: Seyi Shay felt that it was a wrong song choice, and Obi Asika noted that the energy was missing from the performance.
The eighth and final contestant to be rescued by the voting public was Beyonce, who advanced to the next round at the expense of Clinton. For the week’s theme, she chose to perform Seyi Shay’s hit single “Right Now”. Obi Asika commented on her growth, and DJ Sose was of the view that she had developed her vocal range.
At this stage of the competition, the power to determine who stays and who leaves is solely in the hands of the viewers. Voting on Nigerian Idol is via the website, mobile site, MyDStv, and MyGOtv apps and via SMS on participating networks – Airtel, MTN and 9mobile. You can vote for your favourite contestant via the Africa Magic website, www.africamagic.tv/nigerianidol, and the Africa Magic mobile site by selecting contestants of your choice and entering your number of votes and click VOTE. Voting via these platforms is limited to 100 votes per user. MyDStv App and MyGOtv App votes are free, and votes are allocated based on your subscription packages.
