25th November, 2011
It was a tension soaked show which saw three of the seven contestants on probation saying goodbye to the competition for good.
During the eviction show, the contestants on probation the previous week tried their best to sing their way out of probation. Ruth started off with her usual energetic display, performing Beyonce’s Crazy In Love. Next was Emmanuel, who, with obvious improvement from his first performance, did Crawl by Chris Brown.
Princess got the crowd on their feet with her version of Celine Dion’s Power of Love; Chidinma took on You don’t know my name by Alicia Keys, while soft-spoken Rachael, flanked by two guys, performed Battlefield by Jordin Sparks.
Joba also brought it on with John Legend’s I used to love you and lastly for the evening was Roy, who capped the performances in a beautiful way by singing Numb by Linkin Park.
To jazz up the evening’s show was Wande Coal from the Mo Hits Crew, who dazzled everyone with different tracks that have rocked the continent in recent years.
Finally came the moment of truth when the contestants, who will sadly leave the stage, would be known. While viewers saved Rachael, judges saved Roy; Faculty saved Ruth and Princess had the highest number of votes from fellow contestants, thereby leaving Emmanuel, Joba and Chidinma, the eliminated contestants for the weekend.
The following day, By the rivers of Babylon and The Earth song by Micheal Jackson were beautifully combined and performed by all 10 contestants, featuring PlayHouse Voices, who glided in beautifully, taking everyone by surprise.
This heralded the other songs on this night of evergreen songs.
Princess started the night with an emotion-racked I am going down by Rose Royce. The emotions were so intense, it looked like she was going to cry. Both the judges and Faculty were pleased and commended it as her best performance yet. Another passionately delivered performance from Racheal singing Loving you by Minnie Ripeton, got Nomoreloss to doff his cap for her performance and both the judges and Faculty on their feet. Isaac’s Just the two of us by Bill Withers was a beauty to watch as he sang passionately to his partner across a romantic flowered table.
Yvonne’s rendition of I will survive by Gloria Gaynor, was riveting and the judges commended her growth although wanted to see more emotion. Ruth seemed to get off to a poor start as she began Respect by Aretha Franklin and the judges caught on immediately too. Roy’s attempt at Barry white’s My first, my last, my everything was a good trial, but the judges were expecting more, the same for Ese, who did Mary J. Blige’s Never too much, about which the judges felt was below her usual exceptional performances.
Ethel’s Superwoman by Karyn White was considered by the judges as not passionate enough for this stage of the competition. Velma singing ABBA’s I have a dream, looked good but the judges picked up her flaws and handed out their judgment.
After all sung and done, the suspense of nomination for probation gripped all in attendance as Tee Y Mix called the first contestant on probation—it was Isaac, then Ethel and also Ese, Roy, Ruth and Velma.
—Bayo Adetu