The Nigerian music industry is blessed with thousands of acts that are constantly in search of their big break in the industry. When Hazel Oyeze ‘Whitemoney’ Onou moved to Lagos from Kaduna in 2012 in search of his big break, it didn’t come until nine years later, after winning the Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) show in 2021.
On July 25 2021, Whitemoney stole the hearts of millions of Nigerians at the premiere of the BBNaija ‘Shine Ya Eye’ with his unique entry onto the stage in an Igbo attire, dancing to Legendary Style’s ‘Loose Guard’
He took the celebration of his cultural heritage to a whole new level that night, and that action endeared him to the heart of millions of viewers who passionately followed him and kept him in the house until the final day and voted him the winner of BBNaija Season 6.
Whitemoney or Odogwu as he has come to be known used the BBNaija platform to announce himself and his music career.
Born July 6, 1992, Whitemoney grew up in Kaduna State; but he came to Lagos in 2012 to shoot a music video for a song on an album he was working on. He eventually decided to reside in Lagos permanently to pursue his dreams. Since 2012, he has dabbled into multiple business ventures.
The reality star has done everything from catering, photography, hairstyling, generator repairs, fixing telecommunication towers, and international trade in shoes. His journey and experiences gave him the edge on the reality TV show. But beyond all these was his dream to eventually get a big break into the music industry.
In 2018, Whitemoney released his first single ‘Rosemary’. Although the single did not hit major milestones, the reality TV star did not allow this to deter him. He released another single, ‘Selense’, in 2021 after emerging BBNaija season 6 winner.
Despite some unfavourable reviews and public reaction to the single, the reality TV star is not deterred as he has expressed on multiple occasions that he would like to win a Grammy. He has the resources to push his music as much as possible while engaging the fans he has gathered during his time in BBNaija.
His engagements and statistics have led him to win the NET Honours Class of 2022 Most Popular BBNaija star ahead of other reality TV stars like Liquorose BBNaija 2021 first runner-up, Tega, Boma, and Angel.