14th December, 2011
It was a mixed basket of emotions for viewers at the weekend as Nigerian Idol, the hit television music reality show, aired its second and third episodes.
The two episodes which ran on television stations across the country showed the auditions that took place in the cities of Abuja and Enugu.
Starting off in Abuja, viewers were first introduced to new Nigerian Idol judge, Charly Boy, who wasted no time settling down. The episode took viewers through some of the talents the Capital City had to offer: from the melodious to the ridiculous. At the end of the day, young talents were offered golden tickets to appear at The Dream Studios in Lagos.
Then it was Port Harcourt’s turn. In a dramatic fashion, Charly Boy chose to arrive the venue on a motorbike. And the city had its own fair share of hilarious moments —a professional barber took hair grooming to a new dimension, rapping Gangster’s Paradise while giving a mock haircut.
Perhaps the most touching event in the episode was that of rape survivor, petite Sylivia Ita Bassey who was determined to help people in her own shoes by using her unique voice.
“These loaded episodes are only a tip of the iceberg,†explained Producer Lilias Bode. “Nigerian Idol will bring to the fore all the drama, excitement and beautiful music it is known for. Dreams are being born here and it is our pleasure that viewers get to see the entire picture behind these immensely talented young people.â€
The Idol franchise is the world’s biggest and most popular platform responsible for the discovery of popular stars like Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia, Adam Lambert, Timi Dakolo and Nigeria’s own Yeka Onka. The show begun airing on 4 December and will run through the new year until the first day of April when a new Idol is announced.