Vanessa Obioha
It was the survival of the fittest for The Voice Nigeria coaches on episode four as 20-year-old Ayomikun Ojoade got the coaches pitching fiercely against one another.
The singer and artist from Ondo state dazzled the coaches with his rendition of Nosa’s ‘Pray For You’. From his first note, Waje and Falz had their ears perched and fingers readied to press the buzzer.
By the time he finished his performance, Falz couldn’t help but call him a “dangerous guy” and a “spectacular performer.”
Darey commended his range and called him a “vocal chameleon”. As the chatter continued, Falz switched his pitch by sampling Nosa’s song but before he could even sell himself, Yemi took over, singing to Ojoade of her capability to make him shine. Waje had no prayers to make but promised to “cross the ocean and bring him the moon”, a sample of ‘For You I Will’, a song by American singer Monica. Falz and Yemi would interrupt her performance with dance. Picking up from where Waje left off, Darey prayed for the young talent to make the right decision. Little did he know that he would be Ojoade’s choice. He danced excitedly when Ojoade mentioned his name.
Growing up in Ajegunle, Ojoade was expected to work after leaving secondary school. The plan for him was to learn tailoring but the young man was convinced that the vocation was not his true calling. And it was evident in his performance. Of all the performances of the episode, he was the only one who got four-chair turns. Other contestants of the night that survived the blind auditions include Charles Akinloye (Yemi), Jeremiah Ranti-Akerele (Darey) and Ifunanya Nwangene (Waje).
Ojoade’s determination reflects the strategic message of First Bank Nigeria, a sponsor of the reality TV show. The bank’s inscription on the entry of the stage “This is the moment you have been waiting for, time to put you first,” alludes to its commitment to investing in Nigerian youths. With over a century of existence in Nigeria, the bank prides itself as a passionate financier of dreams and shows commitment to empowering and giving talented youths a platform to live their dreams. Hence, The Voice Nigeria according to the financial institution provided an opportunity to achieve this mission and make a positive impact on the Nigerian entertainment industry.
The fifth episode of the singing competition will air this Saturday at 8pm on Africa Magic Channels on DStv and Sunday on AIT, Views TV, Wazobia TV and Max at 6pm.
