Can MTN Y’ello Star outshine Project Fame?

The short answer is (of course) yes. After running for 9 seasons from 2008-2016, MTN Project Fame achieved commendable success especially in the number of successful musical artistes it helped to produce or nurture. As such, there’s nothing wrong with MTN Y’ello Star aspiring to attain Project Fame’s achievements or even outshine it. It’s not for nothing the new show arrived with star in its name. If a (Y’ello) star cannot shine or strive to outshine, what’s the use of that star? In any case, aspiring and reaching for greater heights is what we should all strive for. Because it’s said that if you aim for the stars, even if you don’t succeed, you may land somewhere in the clouds above the skies.

With the philosophical musings out of the way let’s now focus on MTN Y’ello Star and MTN Project Fame West Africa. One (Project Fame) ended and gave way to the former (Y’ello Star) and as must be obvious from their names, both are (musical talent) shows sponsored by telecommunications company MTN Nigeria. Project Fame West Africa launched in Nigeria in 2008 with Iyanya Onoyom Mbuk winning that maiden edition. Other winners have been Chidinma Ekile (2010), Ayoola Ayolola (2012) who’s now more famous as an actor, Jeff Akoh (2015), and so on. The show was last held in 2016 and the winner was Okiemute Ighorodje. And there are other contestants like Praiz, Bisola, etc who though didn’t win have gone on to become huge stars.

It’s against this backdrop that MTN Y’ello emerged. Although the process began much earlier in the year, the MTN Y’ello Star show officially started on November 7, 2020, and is billed to run for 9 weeks. I was a little late to the MTN Y’ello party as I only got to know about the show from ‘Frankly Speaking With Gloria’ on Youtube after all the exciting audition shows had been screened. However, regardless of when you join the MTN Y’ello party, your first thoughts are likely going to be about what happened to the other show MTN Project Fame. That’s just a natural reaction especially if you’re a fan of musical talent shows. I’m no spokesperson for MTN Nigeria but it’s safe to say that Y’ello Star has replaced Project Fame and there are probably varied reasons. For one, with Project Fame coming via South Africa, there were probably franchising issues. Whatever the case, it’s not the first time a telecom company will jettison one musical talent show for another.

Speaking of which, there was a time the leading telecom companies were all into sponsoring musical talent shows. Glo had Naija Sings in 2010. Later moved to X Factor West Africa in 2013 which was won by DJ Switch (Obianuju Catherine Udeh) under the mentorship of M.I Abaga. There were also contestants who made a career of moving from one show to another. I remember Vicky Gomoti, a very talented singer but who appeared too soulful for the Nigerian audience? She was 2^nd runner up in Glo Naija Sings season 3 in 2011 which was won by Christian Doherty. In 2013, Vicky contested again on X Factor West Africa-also sponsored by Glo — where she also ended as a top-three finalist. Then in 2016, she contested again in The Voice Nigeria (2016) sponsored by Airtel Nigeria where she was mentored by Timi Dakolo but didn’t make it to the final after she was evicted during the live shows. Etisalat also got in on the action with Nigerian Idols. There are definitely other cases whereby hosts and presenters are being recycled but that’s another story. But I digress.

• Project Fame vs. Y’ello Star

So, what’s in a name? Project Fame had some international clout coming from South Africa based on the Spanish Star Academy. Did this contribute to its success or was it all due to MTN’s wizardry? If the latter is true, it should be easy to transfer that same magic over to Y’ello Star because the one constant thing between these two shows is MTN after all. It must be why the two shows share many similarities in terms of format.

Y’ello Star, like Project Fame, has a faculty (like Project Fame) which trains the contestants behind the scenes in various aspects of the music craft and business. In Project Fame, the faculty which was headed by award winning actress Joke Silva (or Mummy J as the contestants loved to call her) was usually also present during the televised shows. In Y’ello Star, perhaps because of COVID-19 restrictions, The Faculty isn’t at the televised performances. Although I’ll wager viewers can find them on the reality-TV style screenings of life in The Hub, where MTN Y’ello Star’s contestants are housed. I’ve never been able to keep up with that part of these shows. I prefer to show up for the big performances.

The main question as to whether MTN Y’ello Star will outshine Project Fame while a tad premature still needs to be considered by its producers. Before we talk of outshining, MTN Y’ello Star would need to first attain the heights of Project Fame. Clearly, Y’ello Star can only prove if it can produce this calibre of stars, with time. It wouldn’t hurt in the meantime for Y’ello Stars to find ways to increase the show’s energy in the absence of a ‘live’ audience.

Nevertheless, the one critical area MTN Y’ello Star needs to work on is in judging. A lot has been said by viewers concerning this aspect. The judges’ feedback sometimes sounds like the ‘lite’ version of what the contestants should receive. And when their scores come in, there’s some form of disconnect between output and the resultant scores. From the outside to the viewer, there are often scores that appear too high or too low leading one to wonder if the TV viewer and the judges in the studio listened to or watched the same performance. I always end up concluding that those in-house must hear a better version than those on the outside. Still on judges, their super-sized yellow chairs, a.k.a ‘Judgement thrones’ look very uncomfortable as can be seen in the way the judges sit. Appears difficult to cross legs, difficult to look elegant and difficult to relax in without looking like a poufy mannequin.

Notwithstanding, MTN Y’ello Star does have an edge over Project Fame. It’s not a winner-takes-all kind of show. If anything, it’s like there’s something for everyone who made it into The Hub. Those who come between 4^th to 10^th positions will receive consolation prizes. Apart from the winner who’ll produce songs in Berklee (College of Music) studio in New York, five finalists will receive scholarships to attend Berklee’s 2021 summer music program. All the contestants, even those evicted, have a choice to remain in the hub and will have access to online music training program from Berklee and online creative entrepreneurship training program from Henley (Business School, UK) among other promotional activities they’ll be exposed to.

MTN Y’ELLO STAR AT A GLANCE

Judges: Omawumi Megbele, Olubankole Wellington, Malik Yusef/Olisa Adibua

14 Contestants: Dotti, Jesse Drumz, FayFay Diamond, Oiza and Meyi, Rael, David Garland, Dave Willz, Freeborn, Caeser, Gideon, G. Isaac, Melody, Storm, Uzezi.

Hosts: Tobi Bakare and Hilda Baci

Grand Prize: A recording contract, N5m cash, a car, and an apartment with an in-built music studio.

*Runnersup:1st runner up: N3m, 2nd runner up: N1.5m. 4th – 10th position will also receive consolation prizes.

Enenche lingers on Channels TV Sunrise Daily

Major-General John Enenche, coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Defence HQ, was on Channels TV Sunrise Daily show on Monday, November 30, 2020. The topic under discussion was “Tackling Insecurity — A look at Army’s Operations in Northern Nigeria.’ As far as representation goes, Enenche was qualified to speak for the Nigerian Army. What I couldn’t understand was the sheer amount of time he was given to talk yet not say anything new. He must’ve been on the show for over 30 minutes, breaking only for ads. And in all that time, I can’t really say I learned something useful.

In fact, his interview could be misleading if viewers only depended on what he had to say. Because according to Major-Gen Enenche, insecurity in the north has been on for over 20 years and ‘it was only around 2015 that things began to improve’ or words to that effect. Enenche would have viewers believe that everything is under control as the Army ‘meets every other time’ and have even increased their meetings since the Zabarmari, Borno State killings. Why are we listening to a representative of the Army going on for over 30 minutes barely 2 days after the ruthless massacre in Borno? Clearly, nothing serious can be discussed or divulged on TV. Even then, with the recent #EndSARS and the Army’s alleged involvement in the Lekki toll gate massacre of October 20, 2020, I’ll take anything the Army says with not only a pinch but a truck load of (Dangote) salt.

COME AGAIN?

“People need to understand what it is like in the Lake Chad area. Much of those areas have been liberated from Boko Haram terrorists but there are a number of spaces that have not been cleared for the return of villagers who have been displaced.

“Ideally, all of these places ought to probably be allowed to pass the test of military clearance before settlers or even farmers resume activities on those fields…. Is there any clearance by the military which is in total control of those areas? Did anybody ask to resume activities? I have been told by the military leaders that they have not been so advised.”

-Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, spoke to the BBC Newsday on Monday November 30, 2020, on the murder of 45 farmers (and counting) in Zabarmari, Borno State.

-Words fail me.

NOTICE BOARD

Netflix’s Money Heist Gets Korean Adaptation

“Netflix is to create a Korean version of its own Spanish-language action thriller series “Money Heist” (“La Casa de Papel”). The production is to be a collaboration between BH Entertainment and Contents Zium. The Korean adaptation of “Money Heist” will be directed by Kim Hong-sun, who has helmed TV dramas like “The Guest,” “Voice” and “Black.” Ryu Yong-jae and his team, whose credits include the Netflix original series “My Holo Love” and tvN series “Psychopath Diary,” are set as screenwriters for the 12-part show. Few other details such as production dates or casting were disclosed” writes Patrick Frater.

Onoshe Nwabuikwu, AIRTIME columnist is a renowned TV/Film critic, and Film scholar. She also has experience in Advertising as a senior Copywriter and Corporate Communications as Communications consultant. Email: [email protected]