The fourth season of The Voice Nigeria, a talent show sponsored by FirstBank, has officially begun with the Blind Auditions. The Voice Nigeria, organized by UN1TY Nigeria, aims to discover and nurture the next generation of Nigerian musicians.
The season is hosted by Kate Henshaw and Zainab Balogun-Nwachukwu and features coaches Niyola, Praiz, Naeto C, and Waje.
FirstBank’s sponsorship of the show aligns with the bank’s goal of providing a platform for talent showcase and nurturing, as well as promoting social cohesion.
The bank has a long history of supporting nation-building efforts, including partnerships that have helped to build the value chain of the Nigerian creative industry.
In 2016, this industry contributed 2.3% (N239 billion) to Nigeria’s GDP, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. FirstBank’s sponsorship of The Voice Nigeria is also in line with the bank’s goal of contributing to the projected revenue of $86 million by 2021 from Nigeria’s music industry, as part of the federal government’s diversification policy.
The bank has the resources, reach, and digital capabilities to enable the talent search and help discover the next generation of inspiring musicians. The first episode of The Voice Nigeria Season 4 featured a range of talented singers, including Esther Arite Monday, who sang James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s World,” and Emmanuel Elijah, who sang Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man.” Unfortunately, they were not selected by the coaches.
Benjamin Ayemere impressed the coaches with his vocals while singing “Why I Love You,” a song by Major. Niyola and Praiz pleaded with the singer to pick them as his coach, but Benjamin ultimately chose Praiz. The show promises to showcase a wide range of talented singers as the season progresses.
The show airs on various channels including African Magic Showcase (DSTV 151) at 6:30 pm, Urban (DSTV 153) at 6:30 pm and Family (DSTV 154, GOTV 2) at 5:30 pm.
Also on TVC (DSTV 193, GOTV 27) at 7:30 pm, Views Channel (StarTimes 108, AVOTV 101) at 7:00 pm, STnollywood (StarTimes 059/131) and STnollywood plus (StarTimes 013/102) at 7:00 pm on Saturday.
