Vanessa Obioha
At first, Esther Benyeogo, winner of the First Bank-sponsored music reality TV show The Voice Nigeria, had no intention to audition for the contest. Not that she wasn’t interested but having participated in other competitions where she had equally won, the young songstress somehow felt at ease.
Then the calls began; everyone wanted her to be on the show. Friends, loved ones and family members sent the audition link to her and encouraged her to go for the competition. She would eventually give in.
“I just saw it as an opportunity to express myself and I also saw the platform as an avenue to spread the gospel,” she said in a recent chat.
Indeed, Esther was known for her faith during the competition. There was hardly a time when she didn’t attribute her performances to the Supreme One. Anytime she was asked how she felt after a performance, her answer was always “It is God.” It was only a matter of time before fans began to laud her for taking the gospel to the stage.
Esther’s journey into music started in the children’s church. At age 13, she participated in her first music competition but didn’t emerge the winner. However, while studying at the University of Benin, she contested in a vocal competition and took home the crown. In 2017, Esther was crowned the winner of the talent hunt show God’s Children Great Talent.
In all of these wins, only one thing stood out for Esther: feedback.
“It is how people tell me they connect with my singing, the emotions they feel. It’s the highlight and gives me the most amazing feeling when I get all this feedback,” she said.
She evoked similar reactions on the coaches when performed ‘Rise Up’ by Andra Day during the blind auditions. The coaches were so loved by her rendition that they all turned their chairs for her. She ended up choosing Darey as her coach.
“Esther’s performances are magical,” said Darey in a chat. “When she sings, it’s not for the show. It’s just the way she makes you feel.
Throughout the season, her performances never wavered. She was always saved from elimination, even when the audience had the power to vote, Esther stayed on top. On YouTube, fans had watched some of her performances more than 100,000 times.
For the finale, she performed three songs. The first was a duet with her fellow team member KPee. The duo sang Nigerian female singer Simi’s ‘Duduke’. She would later perform American singer Josh Groban’s ‘You Raise Me Up’ and English musician Adele’s ‘Hello’.
Reflecting on that moment before she was announced the winner of the season, Esther said that a lot was going through her mind.
“Moving from the blinds to knockouts to battles and the live shows, was enough tension, most especially at the live shows where your stay on the show was subject to the votes of the audience and fans. So, standing on that big stage already brought a lot of tension. When you consider the life-changing opportunity of becoming a winner, that is more tension than I have ever experienced. It was so much that I didn’t even realise that my mouth was moving.”
Though she has contested in other music competitions, none have been outstanding to her like The Voice Nigeria.
“It is the only competition that I know that even if you are not really up in your game, there were no negative comments about your attempts. Rather, the coaches give constructive criticism that pushes you to be better. It’s amazing to see the connection between the coaches and the talents which is really remarkable.”
What is more remarkable to Esther is that First Bank supported the season and has pledged to do so in the next season.
“It’s great to see so much support from a financial institution even during a period like this. First Bank’s commitment to showcasing and supporting talents from Nigeria is very commendable.
Known for its commitment to foster the economic empowerment of thousands of people in the creative industry, First Bank’s presence on the show was conspicuous. From the weekly inspirational quotes to the fans giveaways, the Bank showed that it was dedicated to providing financial stability to young creative persons with a passionate appetite for success.
While she is indebted to God for her success on the season, Esther is not ignorant of others’ contributions. She is grateful for the training offered by coaches and considered each stage of the season memorable.
“From the training to the winning point has really shown that hard work pays off.”
The 23-year-old walked home with a cash prize of N10 million, a recording contract with Universal Music Nigeria and a car.
