By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The winner of the recently-concluded Nigerian Idol Season 7, Progress Chukwuyem, has advised artists to stay focused and “never look down on yourself.”
He gave this charge when he visited one of the sponsors of the programme, Bigi carbonated soft drink brand of Rite Foods, along with 11 other singers, who contested with him on the show.
The 21-year-old music act further said “when you get on the stage, be truthful to yourself, believe in your vocals and performances. l came as a young man that just sings in the church and right now, l am a winner. So, never care about the kind of genre you do, continue with it, and it will always be your best.”
The singer thanked Bigi for its massive role in ensuring the success of the music talent discovery platform, for making it memorable, for the fabulous gift offered during the show, and for the warm reception accorded him during his visit to the company’s corporate office in Lagos on Thursday, May 26, 2022.
“I give kudos to Bigi for sponsoring the Nigerian Idol,” he remarked, noting that, “Bigi is why the world knows me now and I am glad about that, I thank Bigi for the great support, for making the show worthwhile.”
Progress, a talented musician from Ika South of Delta State, won the Idol crown after defeating 27-year-old Zadok Aghalengbe from Edo State, at the grand finale of the show on Sunday, May 22, clinching the N100 million grand prize, which includes N30 million cash, a new SUV, a Bigi branded refrigerator and a year’s supply of Bigi drinks, an EP and a music video, a weekend getaway from TravelBeta, and a DStv Explora fully installed with a 12 months premium subscription.
In her remarks, the Brand Manager for Rite Foods, Ms Boluwatife Adedugbe, said the company will continue to support the creative industry.
She said the sponsorship of the show is one of the unflinching testimonies of the company’s relentless commitment to strengthening the Nigerian creative industry by discovering and nurturing young talents that will become superstars in their music genres and make the nation proud at global events.