Nigeria’s first Afrobeats reality show tagged the Naija Star Search, will begin on September 4 as eighteen contestants have been selected to battle for the ten million naira top prize as the judges look for authenticity, potential, originality and street credibility among talents
Airing on ST Nollywood channels on StarTimes, the music reality show which is an initiative of StarTimes in association with Kennis Music, is aimed at sustaining the Afrobeats culture and nurturing young talent,
According to the organisers, the show’s judges led by music label executive, Kenny Ogungbe; celebrated music producer, ID Cabasa; and singer Asha Gangali, have selected 18 contestants out of more than 4,000 contestants that sent in their entries for the talent hunt show
Even as top Mc, VJ Adams will host of the show, the top seven finalists from the show would be groomed by the Kennis Music label and given a platform to turn their raw talents into superstars.
Speaking at the unveiling event in Lagos, StarTimes Chief Operations Officer Tunde Aina said, “Naija Star Search is fashioned to be an exclusive Afrobeats show, the first of its kind in the country. Contestants will perform only Naija songs, starting with the classics and contemporaries to warm their vibes (ginger their swagger) and then singing original songs composed by themselves.
“With guidance and criticism from the judges, these talents will be schooled in the art and business of Afrobeats music for the next three months.
“Ultimately, the goal is to discover the next promising talents with the potential to blow. Top performing talents will work with Kennis Music, who will groom, mentor, produce and market their songs to a music-loving audience in Nigeria and Africa.
ID Cabasa who spoke on the process
said, “We saw a lot of young talents during the audition process, which blew our minds. Naija Star Search has become a pivot for any ambitious artiste for the limelight. Currently, it is very hard to break through in the music industry.
“To promote an artiste now, you would need millions of naira. This platform was set up to push them even when they didn’t have that push. So, any outstanding talent in this reality show would come out with great potential. We will be training them on songwriting, how to record their songs and how to sustain themselves in the industry since it’s easier to blow than sustain oneself in the industry.”
