By Dipo Olowookere
For several weeks, many were glued to their television screens watching Nigerian Idol season 6, with budding music acts showcasing their talents.
On April 24, 2021, 68 contestants headed to theatre week of the music contest but only 17 contestants progressed to the next round. The 17 contestants were assessed based on the strength of their voices and their overall stage performance which saw 11 contestants elevated to the live performances.
Eventually, it became a journey of creativity, excitement, and gripping music contest that lasted for 10 weeks with 11 contestants arousing the emotions of millions of music lovers and fans with entertaining rhythms and glamour of live-music performances.
On Sunday, July 11, 2021, after weeks and months of auditions, evictions and drama, a 24-year-old Bayelsa State-born Kingdom Kroseide emerged as the winner of the contest.
He defeated Benue State-born Francis Atela to clinch the coveted prize of N30 million, a brand-new SUV, a 6-track EP recording deal, 3 music videos included, a Bigi branded refrigerator plus a one-year free supply of Bigi drinks, an all-expense-paid trip to Seychelles, a weekend getaway to Dubai for two and a one-year cable subscription.
For his effort, the runner up, Atela Francis, also got a boost in his career with a prize of a music single to be produced by a leading Nigerian producer plus a top-notch music video, courtesy of the organizers.
At the grand finale last Sunday, Kingdom’s rendition of Gentleman by Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, coupled with his duet with Cobhams Asuquo on the hit track One Hit, ignited a euphoric feeling that erupted ecstatic moments from the judges who gave a standing ovation during the performance.
The singer had refreshingly delighted fans, voters and the judges with his music talent all through the 10 weeks of performances to clinch the coveted grand prize.
From his first day on the show, he had shown that he has all the qualities to win the Nigerian Idol show and it was not a surprise that he forced tears out of one of the judges, Seyi Shay.
The Nigerian Idol 2021, sponsored by Bigi Drinks, a subsidiary of Rite Foods Limited, did not disappoint as viewers believed that it produced one of the best talents in Nigeria as the winner.
Bigi has been applauded for sponsoring the show at this time some organisations would have stayed back because of the economic situation in the country. However, the company ensured that it put funds down to make Nigerians happy in this period.
Weeks ago, recall that when the top 7 contestants visited the Lagos headquarters of Rite Foods Limited.
During the visit, Kingdom revealed that his favourite Bigi variants were Bigi Water and Bigi sausage roll. It is now safe to assume that Bigi premium drinking water over the weeks has kept the star replenished and hydrated while he was dishing out refreshing music performances all through the competition.
Bigi is a carbonated soft drink with 12 variants. The Bigi soft drinks have, for over 10 weeks, refreshed and revitalized all contestants who contested for season 6 of the Nigerian Idol.
The Brand Manager of Rite Foods Limited, Ms Boluwatife Adedugbe, affirmed again the company’s commitment to talent development and entertainment in Nigeria.
According to her, Rite Foods Limited has found a way to give back to consumers with not only refreshing beverages but also operate on very high standards in Nigeria by tying the company’s values to youth and people-centred initiatives.
She further stated that the company’s sponsorship of the music competition “is to ensure that talents are nurtured in order to inspire and empower stars that would take the music and entertainment industry to enviable heights.”
“We also look forward to the winner tonight, Kingdom, doing more on the international scene to place Nigeria on the global map,” she added.
The Nigerian Idol season 6, according to the organisers, recorded over 80 million votes in totality. At the final of the event, stars like Patoranking, Ice-Prince Zamani, Ayra Star and Cobhams Asuquo graced the stage to add to the thrill of the excitement.
Despite the show coming to an end, the celebration and excitement continue on Showmax for fans and music lovers who want to bask in the ambience of the show.
Business Post Contributor