Over the years music reality TV shows have become hugely popular in Nigeria,apart from the fact that they provide quality entertainment to millions of viewers,it provides a platform for aspiring music stars to showcase their talent to a wider audience.
While some of the eventual winners and contestants do not make it big in the music industry.Some of them irrespective of whether they win or not go on to have successful careers.LEADERSHIP Sunday brings a list of 6 music reality TV show stars who made it big in the industry.
- Omawumi
Omawumi was a contestant on Idols West Africa in 2007. She contested alongside Timi Dakolo and was the first runner up in the competition. Omawumi impressed the audience and the judges with her powerful vocals and has since the competition become a force to be reckoned with in the industry.
She has since released three albums and won the 2009 Headies Best Vocal Performance award for her hit single ‘In The Music’.
- Timi Dakolo
Timi Dakolo emerged winner Idols West Africa in 2007.While in the competition, Timi was consistently in the lead and it came as almost no surprise when he finally emerged victorious in the competition.
Dakolo released his debut album Beautiful Noise in 2011 and has continued to build a successful career for himself since.
In 2019, the singer signed a Virgin EMI record deal and released his first album under the label, Merry Christmas Darling.
The album featured collaborations with British singer-songwriter Emeli Sande and Grammy awards winner Kenny G. Some of Dakolo’s famous hits include Iyawo Mi, The Vow, Wish Me Well, among others.
- Chidinma
Chidinma Ekile came to national limelight when she emerged as the winner of the third season of MTN Project Fame in 2010.She released ‘Chidinma’, her debut studio album in 2011 that featured producers including Cobhams Asuquo, Tee-Y Mix, WazBeat and Oscar Heman Ackah.Later that same year, Clarence Peters directed the visuals to Jankoliko, her single that featured Sound Sultan.
In 2012, she released Emi ni Baller with Illbliss and Tha Suspect under CAPital Hill Records, which won the 2013 Headies award for Best Pop Extra Video.In 2012, she won the Best Female West African Act at the Kora Award. She has appeared on several stages and performed in numerous countries across the world – Republic of Benin, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Cameroun, Equatorial Guinea, Niger and Ghana.
After taking a long and silent break from making music, the singer reappears this year, but this time, as a Gospel Artist. Taking to Instagram to break the news, she shared her regrets on wasting over nine years doing secular music, and noting that her decision was based on her encounter with the holy spirit. Chidinma has recently unveiled her debut gospel single dubbed “Jehovah Over Do”, a number from her forthcoming EP New Season.
- Iyanya
Iyanya won the first edition of the MTN Project Fame competition in 2008 and started out his career. He released My Story in 2009 after the competition, but it was in 2013, after the release of Kukure which was accompanied by the Etighi dance, a cultural Calabar dance that Iyanya hit national recognition.
In 2014, he won the Headies Artist of the year award. His album Desire and his hit single Ur Waist were also nominated in the same year. In 2016, Iyanya became one of the artists signed to the Mavin record deal. In 2018, he announced that he was now signed to Temple Music.
- Niniola
Niniola was a contestant on the sixth edition of MTN Project Fame in 2013. In 2014, she released Ibadi, her hit single produced by Sarz. It wasn’t until 2017 that she received wide acclaim for the release of Maradona. The single earned her nominations at the 2018 BET Awards and SAMAs.
In 2019, Niniola’s Maradona was sampled in Beyoncé’s ‘Find Your Way Back’, a song off her soundtrack album The Lion King: The Gift.
The songstress is also credited as one of the track’s songwriters and composers.In April 2020, she received her Grammy nomination certificate for her work as a composer on The Lion King: The Gift. The singer known for her energetic live performances has released hits like, Designer, Boda Sodiq, Omo Rapala and others.
- Praiz
in 2008, Praiz came close to winning the first edition of MTN Project Fame against Iyanya, coming in second place. Since the competition, the R&B singer has released ‘Rich and Famous’ ‘Sisi’ and ‘I Love You’.He combined forces with Bez on his 2011 single, ‘That Silly Song’, which made a world premiere on BET’s 106&Park.
In 2014, Praiz released his Rich & Famous album and in 2015, he won the Nigerian Entertainment Award for Best Pop/RnB Artist of the Year. Praiz has been associated with acts like Wizkid, Chidinma, Seyi Shay, Cobhams and others.
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