By Rotimi Ige
Prestigious reality TV singing competition, Nigerian Idol, is back for the eighth season. The show will premiere on April 23, 2023, as D’banj, Simi, and Obi Asika also return to preside as judges for the season alongside beloved host IK Osakioduwa.
It follows the brilliant success of the past edition that saw Progress Chukwuyem emerge as the winner and walk away with 100 million naira worth of gifts.
On Tuesday, March 28, MultiChoice Nigeria announced the show and judges’ return at a media launch in the company’s multipurpose Lagos studio. Popular TV personality, IK Osakioduwa, will be returning as the show’s host for a third time alongside Obi Asika, who will also be judging his third season.
Superstar singer/songwriter Simi and multiple-award-winning entertainer D’banj are also back for a second time, ensuring the band stays together.
The leading entertainment company announced the return of the show in January, with the online and physical auditions following shortly after.
The eighth season will premiere on April 23, starting with recordings from the auditions. Fans expect to be thrilled by hilarious and beautiful performances from upcoming superstars. The auditions and theatre week will air from April 23 till May 21, so fans can follow the journey of the final live-show contestants.
The live shows will begin on May 28 and end on July 16, when a new Nigerian Idol will emerge.
Dr Busola Tejumola, Executive Head of Content and West Africa Channels at MultiChoice Nigeria talked about MultiChoice’s reasons for producing an eighth season of the show.
She said, “Nigerian Idol has continued to offer talented Nigerian artistes the platform to show the continent what they can do and an opportunity to rise to fame through hard work and dedication. It is a rare chance to gain access to the hands-on mentorship provided by the judges, our vocal coaches, the world-class production team and the choreographers that altogether unveil the intricacies of the industry to these talents and a chance for them to hone the skill in readiness for their contracts.”
