Glo Naija Sings review: Moses evicted on the show

The news came like a bomb, most watchers of the show couldn’t believe. Even the resident judge Tosin Martins and others didn’t contain it as Moses had consistently shown an unmatched singing prowess on the show but the votes had decided, he had to leave. This further reinforces the contention that on a voting game […]

The news came like a bomb, most watchers of the show couldn’t believe. Even the resident judge Tosin Martins and others didn’t contain it as Moses had consistently shown an unmatched singing prowess on the show but the votes had decided, he had to leave. This further reinforces the contention that on a voting game like this, the best doesn’t always win but perhaps who connected with the audience or who has more capability to lobby for votes. Your brilliance may not necessary count, all the time. Moses had consistently received rave reviews from the judges, a feat no other contestant has achieved.

At the screening last Sunday, the tension was palpable among the top 9 contestants. Contestants who were safe were one after the other called upon and asked to go back stage. Soon everyone was safely behind the stage except Casey and Moses. There was no telling in which direction the votes would swing as both contestants had been consistent favourites on the show, more so for Moses who had been the judges highlight two weeks in a row.

Then the announcement was made, on October 31: Moses, one of the regional finalists from Benin, received the least votes and became the first evictee on Glo Naija Sings.  The crowd was numb, it was final; one of the most promising acts on the show was the first to get the axe due to garnering insufficient number of votes.

The remaining eight contestants on the show some of the biggest love song hits of the last 50 years and waits for the axe later today. Your votes keep your favourite on the show less he or she suffer like Moses.

First up was Shedrach who gave a near-original rendition of Brian McNight’s Back at One. His fans thought it breathtaking and imagined that Brian Mcnight would indeed be very proud of him.

Up next was Peace who delivered Toni Braxton’s Spanish Guitar in style. It was clear that she was coming out of her shell. The host of Glo Naija Sings, Olisa hinted that even if she did not win the prize in the end, she definitely would not be leaving the show empty-handed.

Casey did Marvin Gaye’s Sexual Healing. Casey exuded pure energy and set the room on fire from the very first note of the song as he brought the late singers song to life on the Glo Naija Sings stage. A fan in the audience could obviously feel it as she promised to call Casey at 5am to provide Healing.

Resident judge, Tosin Martin’s had named Najite one of the lowlights of the show, but she survived eviction. Singing It Must Have Been Love by Roxette, Najite, stole the show by emerging the first contestant of the evening to own her song earning herself a standing ovation from Tosin Martins. Her fans in the audience applauded her rendition stating that though the song was a tough one to score, she made it her own and added that though she did not know what her true inspiration is, she imagined that it must have been love.

Next up was Rasine who admitted that the competition was now intense and she really needed to focus more. Her focus paid off, as her rendition of Mariah Carey’s version of I Wanna Know What Love Is may very well have been her best outing on the Glo Naija sings stage.  Her fans in the audience agreed as they stated that every aspect of the song dripped of passion and made this her most moving performance yet.

However, it was Ekeng’s rendition of I Was Made to Love You by Gerard Levert that received the most excited crowd reaction of the evening. The gentle build up to the chorus and the firmness and certainty of his voice and carriage conveyed the lyrics and the message of the song so precisely; he earned every bit of the standing ovation he enjoyed at the end of his performance from the audience and the judges. His fans in the audience could not stop applauding as one of them managed to comment that she was made to vote for him.

Boma remarked that though the pressure is palpable, she was not going to let it get to her; it only means she seriously had to up her game. In performing How Do I Live Without You by Leann Rimes, Boma gave Africa reason not to live without her.

The sensational Da Brodas whose rendition of Westlife’s Unbreakable closed the fantastic string of performances with a bang. Hoping for unbreakable support, the duo once again gave an awe-inspiring performance laced with their trademark seamless harmony, leaving the audience dumbfounded at such talent in such young packages. A member of the audience exclaimed that though she thought she was made to vote for Ekeng, she was wrong; she was made to vote for Da Brodas.

With a glorious round of love songs expertly delivered,  Olisa asked the celebrity judge, Nikki Laoye and resident judge, Tosin Martins what they thought of the performances of the top eight.

Nikki Laoye, thought they all did a fine job and was thoroughly impressed with the quality of singers the show has gathered. However, three acts stood out from the rest for her. They were Ekeng, whom she described as a mature singer whose diction and stage presence were reminiscent of a seasoned performer. For Da Brodas, she was blown away by their confidence and harmony and for Rasine, she felt the uniqueness of her voice, her passion and expression stood her out. She was not too impressed with Peace whom she felt did not “bring it” that evening.