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THE GUARDIAN, Sunday, June 16, 2013
LAFETE Benin youths turn MTN Project Fame’s Audition to entertainment feast T was convivial atmosphere at the audiIProject tions’ venue for the sixth season of MTN Fame West Africa, in Benin, last weekend, as over 20,000 youths converged on the Constantial Hotel, directly located opposite Benin Airport. In the first audition to be held in Nigeria for this year’s edition of the popular subregion musical reality TV show, the youths commented that they have turned out that much because of the proven record of MTN Project Fame for producing music super stars. A Sociology undergraduate from the University of Benin, Augusta Ukwah, who came in the company of her friends to be auditioned, said, “no doubt the MTN Project Fame holds a wider appeal to youths here, having seen hitherto little known young Nigerians like Iyanya, Chidimma and Praize take advantage of the platform, through the technical supports of the music reality show’s faculty members and judges, to achieve their dreams of becoming music stars.” In the same vein, members of the Red Cross Society, Ugbowo Detachment of the University Of Benin, seized the moment at the audition venue, when they created an unusual buzz of drumming and singing to the delight of the thousands of participants attending the audition. Asked why they chose the venue to highlight their activities, some of them said, though they were just passing by on an endurance trek, they chose to identify with a project that is empowering Nigerian youths, who are dreaming big dreams of stardom, in a distinct way that gives hope to young people across the country and the sub-region. The massive turnout at the centre is an attestation to the projection by music buffs that the industry is set for a boom. The same effect was recorded at the Abuja venue of audition where thousands of youth also gather to get an opportunity to showcase their music talents. EANWHILE, Kwara Hotel, located in M GRA, Ilorin and Port Harcourt hosted the auditions yesterday ahead of the All-
Stars concert in Calabar next weekend. According to reports, youths from Imo, Bayelsa, Delta and some other neighbouring states auditioned for the Port Harcourt leg in order not to miss out on the once in-ayear opportunity of participating in the Project Fame contest. The venue, Rachael Hotel, Harbour Road, was filled with expectant youths. It is on record that the show has contin-
ued to produce talents with depth and appeal in the trade. So far, over 15 graduates of the musical academy have recorded singles and albums that become listeners’ delight, either on radio, terrestrial or cable television networks, across the entire continent. This season, however, the reality show is set to bring together this array of musical stars for a concert that has been titled ‘All-Stars
Concerts’ as a testimonial of five years of nurturing hitherto ordinary youths into musical super-stars. Featuring are Iyanya, Praiz, Chidimma, Kesse, Nicholas, Tolu, Monica, Ayo, Oyinkansade, Musulyn, Adetoun, Christian, Yetunde ‘OmoIbadan’ and many others and Wizkid, holding in Calabar and Lagos on June 21 and 28.
Andy Bello, a music producer and cinematographer, cheering participants at the MTN Project Fame Season 6 audition in Benin. Mark Ebi, host of 'Saturday Spice' on EBS, Edo State, is behind.
Etisalat Partners Spinlet on Customised Digital Music App EADING telecommunication’s company, Lvalue Etisalat Nigeria, is creating more mobile and fun for its music-loving customers
scription, and the subscriber need not worry Music App is to provide absolute enjoyment about further subscription because subsefor the music lover. We have a large library of quent renewals will be automatic,” further local and international albums and tracks. with Nigeria’s first branded Spinlet music explained. As for local music, the Etisalat Spinlet Music application called the Etisalat Spinlet Digital Chief Marketing Officer of Spinlet, Mark App offers albums from contemporary Music App, in partnership with international Redguard, confirmed that Etisalat Nigeria music artistes including Tuface Idibia, Eldee digital music download service, Spinlet. was the first network to have an exclusive de Don, Banky W, MI, Darey Art Alade, Buchi The App is designed to enable Etisalat cus- Spinlet App. and IcePrince to Nigeria’s finest old-school tomers download and share a broad collec“The core essence of the Etisalat Spinlet like Fela, Osita Osadebe, Dele Ojo, Alex Zitto, tion of ethnic and international songs on their mobile devices. The newly launched App allows customers to enjoy music on the move by downloading albums or tracks to mobile devices. It is an affordable pay-per-download model and AST rising act, Klever Jay, has gives the Etisalat customer the advantage of inked a multi-million-naira free live streaming, so that friends can also deal with Black Wall Street; a enjoy the music. record label based in the Speaking about the new mobile music serv- Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. ice, Chief Commercial Officer, Etisalat The deal comes with a brand Nigeria, Wael Ammar, said the application new car worth N11 million, a was yet another innovative service from house in upscale Asokoro Etisalat to bring personalization and interacDistrict, Abuja and Black Wall tivity to its customers. “For our customers, Street gold chain worth N5 mildownloading and sharing music is now lion. cheaper, easier, mobile and legal. Etisalat cusAccording to Suni, CEO, Black tomers now have access to an almost limitWall Street/Avatar, Klever Jay’s less library of musical content on the go. We career has been transformed as have also made the application very easy to a new single entitled, Omo Aye use and affordable. For us at Etisalat, it is will be released by the label on about designing fun and entertaining servicJune 16, 2013 while the video will es for customers because they are the centre also drop by the end of June. of our business and we take them very seri“I see that Klever Jay has talent ous,” he said. and we need to push that talent Ammar also said the subscription plans for out for the world to appreciate. download were flexible, with interested He did this on his own before. Etisalat subscribers also enjoying bonus data But now that we are behind for a seamless experience. “To start enjoying him, he will do better. We have the music app, our music-loving customers just inked a 2-album three year are required to download and install the deal with him,” Suni says. Etisalat Spinlet Digital Music app to a mobile Shot at choice locations in the phone or any other internet-enabled mobile United States and Nigeria, the device. Click on a preferred subscription plan video of the new single was on the app and begin to enjoy exclusive directed by none other than access to music tracks and albums,” he Jeffery, the man who did the explained. “The appropriate charges will be video for The Game’s hit track, deducted from airtime balance during subMy Life. Klever Jay and Suni
Blackky, Evi Edna Ogoli, Mandators, Adewale Ayuba, Ras Kimono, Onyeka Onwenu, Bright Chimezie, Benita Okojie, Tosin Jegede and Bobby Benson. The genres available to the Etisalat subscriber are limitless including highlife, jazz, gospel, blues, hip hop and more. The best part is that both the music lover and artiste do not have to worry about piracy,” Redgaurd said.
Klever Jay set to drop Omo Aye on Blackwall Street
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