By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The curtains of the Nigerian Idol Season 9 are already getting drawn after the singing competition produced its top three contestants over the weekend.
The trio of Chima, Lammy, and Chioma made it to the top three last Sunday after Mira Clear was sent packing from the show.
The tension was high as each contestant was joined by a family member on stage, with Chima and Lammy receiving the most votes, securing their spots in the finals.
Unfortunately, this left Mira Clear and Chioma in the bottom two, and Ric Hassani used his power as the winning judge of an earlier contest to save Chioma, giving her a chance to compete in the finale.
At the show last Sunday, the judges got in on the action too, as the the producers decided to keep things interesting with a special challenge for the judges.
Instead of the usual routine, the judges were tasked with picking songs they thought would be perfect for specific contestants. The contestants then got to choose their favourites, and the judge with the most picks would be crowned the champion.
Ric Hassani took the lead early when Chioma, the first contestant to perform, delivered a powerful rendition of J’odie’s Kuchi Kuchi, a song Ric Hassani had chosen for her.
The second judge, 9ice, wasn’t far behind, with Lammy picking his choice, the classic African Queen by 2Face, while Mira Clear evened the score for Omawumi by selecting her pick If You Ask Me by the Omawumi.
With the competition tied, all eyes were on Chima. His selection of Not the Girl by Darey Art Alade sealed the deal for Ric Hassani, making him the winner of the judges’ challenge.
The final three contestants returned to the stage for their second performance, this time accompanied by 121 Selah beautiful choir.
Chima delivered a stunning rendition of Stevie Wonder’s As, while Lammy wowed the judges with his performance of Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, with Chioma closing the night with a powerful performance of Jennifer Hudson’s One Night Only.
Voting for the contestants has opened through africamagic.tv/nigerianIdol, MyDStv or MyGOtv apps and will close by 9 pm on Friday.
