Chike
His must rank as the most awaited battle as the Battle Round of The Voice Nigeria enters episode 4 later today. I’m talking about Team Pato Ranking’s Chike Osebuka Ezekpeazu or Chike ‘Ranking’ as he was ‘rechristened’ by none other than his coach Pato Ranking himself. Chike blew everyone away during the Blind Auditions (April 24) with his rendition of ‘Roses’ by James Arthur.
All four coaches turned and if that had been the finale and viewers were required to vote, there is little doubt that Chike would’ve won the grand prize. At just 23 years old, Chike is not new to singing competitions. He contested on Project Fame, Season 8 (2015) but didn’t make the final 4.
Mercifully at this stage of the competition, the person Chike has to impress is his coach Pato Ranking. Mind you, the battle begins way before two battling contestants from the same team come to duet and duel it out on stage. The first hurdle is your ‘opponent’. Some contestants ‘lose’ the battle even before they get on stage either because they think the other person is too good and has won it already. On the flip of course are those confident in themselves, sometimes
bothering on overconfidence or cockiness which Coach Tubaba likes to cut down to size. Then there’s the ‘battle’ song. That could favour one person more than the other. I like the fact that Nigerian songs are getting deserved prominence especially in the Battle Rounds. Last week’s performance by TeamTimi’s Cornel and Obass of their coach’s award winning song ‘Wish Me Well’ deserves a crown and a consolatory prize.
Which brings us back to Chike ‘Ranking.’ Who is going to be his battle ‘partner’? Will they get a song that’s ‘good’ for Chike? Will he come out victorious? If no, does any of the coaches still have a slot so one of them can ‘steal’ him? Questions and more questions.
All will be revealed later today 7pm on Africa Magic Showcase, dstv channel 151.
