Nigerian Idol: 11 Finalists Set For Showdown

 

For many it was a feeling of relief watching how ‘Tough Prof’ Seyi Shay, Obi Asika and DJ Sose expertly fished out the final 11 contestants from an array of singers who contested at the audition stages of the Nigerian Idol Season Six.

Viewers heard the good, the bad, and the voices that should never have made it out of the shower. Some contestants weren’t ready with what this season’s judges were looking for, but others brought it in droves.

In barely two months, Nigerians have grown accustomed to seeing the tears and the lamentations of aspiring musicians on the audition stage of the Nigerian Idols. Nonetheless, Seyi Shay and the team dusted off their fatigue, handpicking the finalists from a coalition of three segments – Acapella solo, Trio, and solo performance.

The original plan was to select 10, but as fate would have it, Faith Onyeje and Daniel Ikechi were just two prize gems that had the judges puzzled on who to drop. So, they became admitted together, bringing the finalists to 11.

Well, it’s going to be a long run among these maestros who are not only brilliant, but also bold at what they do. Let’s meet them.

Comfort Alalade
FROM her mid-toned falsetto towards the end of her performance, ‘Pem Pem Ijele bem’, Comfort Alalade had clearly already won the judges over. For the ‘Tough Prof’ Seyi Seyi to have been bobbing her head in excitement while the ‘Incorrigible DJ Sose’ flashed smiles at her rendition of Teni’s 2018 hit, Case, it was a perfect alignment of positivity for the 18-year-old student.

“If I were to choose a song that defines me, it would be Moses Bliss’ You Are Too Faithful To Fail Me,” the Lagos-based aspiring superstar says.

Would her soothing vocals be able to stand the test of the ring and help her emerge champion? Only time would tell. Having honed her composition skills from her days singing in the church, music means a lot more than just melodies to Comfort. And for someone who has a song to describe every stage of her life, the stage is set to see how the music would play out for her.

Akunna Okey
“TAKE us away once you are ready,” Obi Asika notes, and immediately, Akunna did exactly that. In less than two minutes, she poured all her passion into her rendition of Simi’s 2017 record, Joromi.

When it comes to singing, Akunna handles it like her lawsuits, with wit and confidence. The 23-year-old lawyer comes from a family of music lovers and believes her voice bears a good message for the world.

“I would be a source of inspiration to people who believe winning in life should be about having a job and not music as what it is,” she says. The Beyonce-lover graces our screens for the next few weeks throwing in her fighting spirit and high-pitch into the already sizzling ring.

Faith Onyeje
“WHERE did you learn how to sing and play like that? Your voice, I love it,” Seyi Shay was dazed at Faith’s first audition. And it seems his fate hangs on the positives as he finally wins a golden ticket to become a finalist.

On the exterior, Faith looks like a simple man, with a nice shirt and scruffy hair. On the inside, he has a vibrant singing momentum, that when combined with his personality you would instantly think about English Grammy-winning singer, Ed Sheeran.

Music has always been a way of life for the 25-year-old Geography student; he makes money from singing at events. An artist at the core, Faith uses all his arts to pursue an agenda of helping as many people as he can all his lifetime.

His soft vocal texture and calm composition are his strongest building blocks. And now, it’s time to bid for the contract at the Idols. And he got 10 other contenders to look out for. But yeah, Faith is key!

Kingdom Kroseide
FOR a contestant to make Seyi Shay shed tears during his auditions, Kingdom Kroseide has always made a good impression with his voice. A talented singer with an elegant voice, the Bayelsa native continues to deliver phenomenal performances, as the judges describe.

A band boy, Kroseide sings in Port Harcourt with a band named Pamela Scott Music, whenever he isn’t studying for his computer science degree. A strong disciple of the legendary singer, Jacob Collier, Kroseide brings up a lot of heat with his cool boy finesse on the Idols. Would it be hot enough to melt away the chances of the other contenders?

Dotun Deloye
WHEN he sings, you would think that he is an award-winning artiste. The dreadlocked singer got Seyi Shay and the Boys smiling with his golden-ticket-clinching rendition of Adekunle Gold’s Sade.

Deloye sings with a friendly delight; you’re likely to start smiling when you hear him sing. For a young man who actually adores the American icon, Brandy, you can tell it’s all about the smoothness for him. Like the others, Deloye sings every opportunity he gets and he continues to use music to express himself. At the Idols, the young entrepreneur and actor brings on the swag, the silky vocals and a dauntless vibe.

Francis Atela 
The man with the baritone, Francis Atela proves himself a big fish in the fierce battle for the ultimate contestant, with his calm and composed deep vocals. Clinching a golden ticket with his golden performance of John Legend’s record, So High, 26-year-old Atela soars to the finalist stage.

Despite auditioning twice previously, Atela remains dauntless in his pursuit for being a Nigerian idol. The agropreneur basks in his powerful vocal range, a gift he has been nurturing since childhood. All eyes are on this potential Barry White as he joins the final eleven for a survival of the most sonorous.

Daniel Ikechi
IKECHI is your ‘put-in-the-work’ kind of singer. When he sings, you know he actually is trying. You can feel his energy pulsate from his falsetto to his low pitch. For someone who makes it look so effortless, Ikechi is actually a prime contestant. The young graphic designer creates his vocal arts with a hope to get famous with it one day.

Ikechi sounds reserved, intimate and relaxing. A stage-lover, he flashes on his confidence, calmness and creativity in his beautiful performances. With Ikechi joining the fight, the duel has only gotten tougher.

Beyonce Ajomiwe
NAMES are indeed a gift. If not, what else would you make out of the life of the 16-year-old Port Harcourt girl. Like her popular American namesake, Beyonce showcases a powerful control of her vocal ranges. She sings calmly and confidently.

Having a professional musician as a dad also plays a major role in her decision to build a music career. Her passion rests in becoming a beacon of positivity to young girls and boys her age. From the streets of social media where she began posting videos of herself singing to the arena of the Idols, music is her fight, and it is one she is ready to fight personally.

Clinton Francis
THIS time, it was Obi Asika who was reeling with smiles, as 24-year-old Clinton Francis performed his rendition of Praiz’s Under The Sky. He stretches his chances longer with a much-improved display of his performances.

His vocals remind you of the Afro sensation, Ric Hassani. Nonetheless, Francis has a magic voice that would stand him out. Like most of his opponents, he began his career in the church choir and has honed it singing with a Christian gospel band. A singer and songwriter, Francis definitely is another strong contender with the eyes for perfection, even though his gentle mien might tell you otherwise.

Emmanuel Elijah
IT’S deep. It’s passionate. And it’s all shade of intentionality whenever you hear Emmanuel Elijah. Look up his rendition of Sam Cooke’s A Change Is Going to Come on the Idols and you would confirm that this vocal enigma is actually one of the bright lights of the contest.

Working as an admin officer at a studio in Lagos, Elijah definitely cannot hide his passion for more than a minute. He claims that singing from the heart helps him connect better with his listeners. He comes from a family of music lovers and hopes his time at the Idols would help push him to another level where he can share his talent with the world.

Faith Mac Ebiama
IT seems there is enough Faith to round the house. The young amazon possesses a rarity in her voice; with a strong vocal range that probably stretches two octaves. Housing a very strong voice, she reminds you of Adele.

The young fashion designer weaved a confident and brilliant persona with her rendition of Ariana Grande’s Dangerous, which clinched her a golden ticket to the finals. And it is safe to say that that is the vibe she poses to the rest of the competitors.

The second and female Faith in the house, she has uploaded a lot of videos of herself singing and now the world gets to watch her. But for how long?