Yemi Alade, Praiz, Mercy Chinwo & 5 Other Nigerian Singers Who Made It to the Spotlight Through Reality Shows

• For many Nigerian singers, making it to the spotlight in the music industry didn’t come easy, as they had to work their way up the ladder
• Many rose to the spotlight after participating in a reality show, even though some of them didn’t emerge as winners
• Legit.ng, in this article, lists popular Nigerian singers like Yemi Alade Chidima, Praiz, and Iyanya, among others, who made it to the spotlight thanks to their participation in reality TV shows

Popular reality TV shows like Star Quest, Project Fame, and Nigerian Idol, among others, have positively impacted the growth of the Nigerian music industry by being a means through which participants make it to the spotlight.

While some of these reality shows are no longer on air, some of their products have become household names in the music industry.

In this article, Legit.ng lists popular Nigerian singers’ who made it to the spotlight all thanks to reality TV shows.

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1. Yemi Alade

The ‘Mama Africa’ as she is also known made it to the limelight after emerging winner of the Peak Talent Show in 2009.

Speaking in a report via the Nigerian Voice in 2010, Yemi Alade said she went to the show as a raw talent who needed an avenue to showcase it.

Yemi went on to sign a record deal with Effyzzie Music Group and released her hit son “Johnny” in 2014. Since then, she has gone on to make a name for herself.

2. Timi Dakolo

A-list Nigerian soul singer Timi Dakolo rose to fame when he emerged winner of West African Idol in 2007, which was also the show’s first season.

Since then, Timi has gone on to release hit songs like Great Nation and Iyawo Mi.

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3. Omawunmi

Like Timi Dakolo, Omawumi also participated in the first edition of the West African Idols in 2007.

She emerged as the first runner-up during the music competition and has released hit songs like Megbele and Bottom Belle.

4. Praiz

The singer, whose real name is Praise Ugbede Adejo, gained prominence when he became the second runner-up in the first edition of the MTN Project Fame West Africa reality show in 2008.

Praiz released his hit song ‘Rich and Famous’ in 2012, which was well received.

5. Iyanya

Like Praiz, Iyanya, whose real name is Iyanya Onoyom Mbuk, made it to the big stage after he emerged as the winner of the first season of the MTN Project Fame West Africa TV show in 2008.

Iyanya is popular for his hit songs like Kukere and Your Waist, released in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

6. Darey Art Alade

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Darey was the only Nigerian of the five contestants in the 2004 Project Fame Academy in South Africa.

While he didn’t win, the Nigerian singer emerged third. Darey released hit songs like Not The Girl, and Pray For Me, among others.

7. Chidinma

Chidinma Ekile, now a gospel singer, made it to the spotlight when she won the 2010 MTN Project Fame West Africa show.

Before switching to gospel songs, Chidinma dropped hit songs like Kedike and Emini Baller featuring Wizkid.

8. Mercy Chinwo

Like Chidinma, Mercy Chinwo, now a famous gospel singer, won the popular reality TV show Nigerian Idol in 2012.

Mercy performed late Fela Kuti’s hit song Zombie during her time on the show.

Mercy Chinwo amasses 100m streams

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported how Mercy Chinwo celebrated her accomplishment in the music industry.

Chinwo hit 100 million song streams on Boomplay, and she took to her Instagram page to share the exciting news with her fans and well-wishers.

In a video, the singer who released a new EP, Elevated, also expressed gratitude to her fans while urging them to take her to billion streams.

Source: Legit.ng