Naija Sings 2 Port-Harcourt Finals Produces 4 Semi-Finalists

In what appeared like a twist, and a departure from two previous regional finals in Benin and Enugu, Naija Sings 2 Port-Harcourt top 10 regional finals on Sunday, July 25, produced four new semi-finalists.
The finalists are Boma Tolofari, Daniel Ebitonmor, El-David Esther Najite, and Tega Apochi. These four will join six other semi-finalists from Benin and Enugu regions plus others yet to emerge from Calabar, Kano, Abuja and Lagos regions to battle for a spot in the top 10 on September 13 in Lagos.
Tosin Martins, Naija Sings 2 resident judge, supported by Olusope Adamo, radio presenter, Cool FM, Port-Harcourt and reggae/dancehall act, General Pype, had a herculean task picking the regional semi-finalists from the top 10 who put up sterling performances in their bid for a slot to progress to the next stage of the M-Net’s music talent-hunt reality show.
Beaming with excitement, Martins announced to the pensive Port-Harcourt audience: “Heated! Waoh! This is probably the toughest. It’s a keen battle. For the first time, four contestants made it through to the semi-final in Lagos. They’ve got the extra. We got top six and had to do a lot to prune the number to four.” He added that dynamism, strength, passion and strong voice gave it to the Port-Harcourt top 4.
Olisa Adibua, Naija Sings 2 presenter, who also anchored the first season, at the end of the regional top 10 performances and shortly before calling on Tosin Martins and his fellow judges to name the semi-finalists, said: “The time of reckoning has arrived. It’s been a great day, a huge day of great singing by the contestants. The huge prize money of 100,000 US Dollars puts a lot of pressure on the contestants.”
Of the four semi-finalists, Boma was the first to mount the stage at the regional top 10. She did Beyonce’s ‘Listen’. Martins felt it was a difficult placement for her as the first contestant on stage. He adjudged her good, and said he loved her singing. For Pype, Boma’s was a nice performance. He believed she has vocal strength, wants her to take time off to evaluate herself so as to be able to achieve even more. For Olusope Adamo, who had been with Karl Raccah, Naija Sings 2 roving judge, from Friday, July 23 when the auditions started to select Port-Harcourt top 10 finalists, Boma’s singing was thrilling. “I enjoy you singing and carrying people along. Great performance!”
Daniel Ebitonmor sang “You raised me up”, which Martins and his fellow judges thought was good rendition. Martins told him: “I can’t ignore the strength you have vocally; the strength in your voice. I’ve heard something slightly better today. I wish you all the best.” The two other judges wished him well and promised to see him in Lagos.
El-David Esther Najite raised the stake with her beautiful rendition of Jennifer Hudson’s ‘One night only’ that held the audience and judges spellbound. For Martins, Najite might well be the strongest of the Port-Harcourt semi-finalists. “You’ve got strength vocally, and your diction is musically articulate. You were about the first from among the contestants so far to translate passion and theatrics to strong vocal delivery. You’ve got good control of your voice especially with your ability to move from low to high. Excellent!” Pype described her performance a perfect rendition while Adamo felt Najite convinced everyone she could sing.
Tarila, top 3 star of Naija Sings season one, who was in the audience, was confident Najite has made it to Lagos and the finals, where like himself in the first season, she will have a chance to battle for the ultimate prize and a recording contract with Storm 360, M-Net’s partners on the show.
Tega Apochi did Beyonce’s ‘Dangerous in love’ with which she thrilled the judges and the audience. Martins said: “I have not harped much on tone since the commencement of the auditions, girl your tone is one in a million. I absolutely loved your music.” Pype said hers was a nice rendition and a good job. Adamo, who described Tega as a ballerina because of her dress, said her performance was a great one. “Though not a danceable song, you kept everyone dancing.”
The audience judges at the Naija Sings 2 Port-Harcourt top 10 regional finals agreed with the judges on their semi-finalist choices, declaring the winners as “born champions” while General Pype closed the show with a nice performance of his hit track, ‘I am a born champion’. The audition crew moved from Port-Harcourt to Calabar for another regional top 10 finals on Wednesday, July 28.
Segun Fayose, head of Corporate Communications, MultiChoice Nigeria, said: “Naija Sings will be screened to DStv premium subscribers from Sunday, September 19 on M-Net West, Channel 102. It will be made available on AfricaMagic to subscribers on other bouquets shortly after its screening on M-Net. Naija Sings will also be available on M-Net HD”.