On July 31, 2016, A’rese Emokpae, a 28 year-old stage actress, who has appeared in various theatre acts and musicals, emerged winner of the first edition of The Voice Nigeria.
She edged out competitors like Chike, Brenda, Cornel, Patrick, Viveeyan, Nonso Bassey and Dewe to come out tops.
READ: A’rese wins the first season of The Voice Nigeria and here’s how fans reacted
For some, it’s a well deserved victory, while most music pundits see her as one of many talent show winners that’ll fizzle out if real efforts to make her a bonafide superstar aren’t in place.
Eromo Egbejule once wrote, ‘Talent show winners are usually treated to grand exit parties with the accompanying pomp and pageantry; they wake up to see their smiling photos hoisted on entertainment blogs alongside strategically placed brand collaterals, ambassadors and officials. But that’s where it ends. There is no cushion to pad them when they step out‘.
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TheNETng reached out to Enitan Denloye, Vice-President, Brands and Advertising at Airtel Nigeria who says, ‘we are making sure that all the top 8 finalists will be part of the Airtel family, we are also going to give them cash prices, support them and put them on our platforms so that they can continue to showcase their talents and get nurtured’.
A’rese, who now wears the crown and bragging rights as the first ever winner of The Voice Nigeria, tells TheNETng that she entered the competition to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
In her words, ‘I heard about the auditions from a friend, so I went for the audition, I got picked and really had no idea I’ll go on to win the show. I just wanted to be part of the experience because I knew it’ll be one I’ll never forget’.
A’rese, an actress who has featured in several stage plays including ‘Waka The Musical’, now treads a path that’s marked with little success and much hype.
Countless winners of talent shows before her abound and have all slithered into oblivion.
A’rese however tells TheNETng that she has a secret formula. ‘I plan to merge the two (music and theatre) there’s no way i can leave theatre completely’.
Asked what her first single will sound like, she says, ‘my first single will be fresh, something that Nigeria hasn’t heard before’.
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Asked if she sees other female acts as a competition, A’rese says, ‘maybe I’m in the wrong industry, because I really don’t think of people as competition, I think of people as teachers especially the strong women at the top, i see them as people I can learn from and will be honoured to work with. They have done so much and because of them I can pursue this career path and add more flavour to the industry’.
For now, we wait, pray and hope A’rese lives up to expectation and builds a solid career off the platform she’s been given.
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