First 3 Contestants for Nigerian Idol Top 12 Emerge

· 3 More Expected This Week as Voting Lines Open
· TVC Joins NTA, STV, Others for Idol Broadcast

Lagos, Nigeria; April 5, 2015: The first three contestants for the top 12 stage of the on-going season five of the Nigerian Idol TV reality show have emerged following the conclusion of votes last Wednesday.

Show anchor, Illrhymz, announced the winners during the Eviction Show held at the OMG Dream Studios last week. The contestants are Preye, Dolu and Prime. Those who dropped out of the race include Nana, Aisy, Tobore, Paradise, Blue C, Franchesca and Play P.

The emergence of the three was true to the prediction of the judges who had singled out four of the contestants for their exceptional performances during the group stage performance. It was however a suspense-filled moment for the contestants as none of them was sure of going through. The situation got worse when Dede took to a song in Pidgin to remind them that seven of them had to leave. Prime was the first to let off the hook followed by Dolu and then Preye.

“It was a torturing moment for me. It was pretty much, and I was at the point of 'if it happens, so be it,'” revealed Dolu.

Speaking about his ouster, Play P who was tipped to scale the top 30 admitted his disappointment, but expressed optimism in making the number through the judges' wild card door.

“I feel disappointed because I have sacrificed enough to be the top 30. This would be my third attempt on the show having been here in the last two seasons. This season, I came with a game plan from the start, so I am very certain of a wild card spot,” he said.

Ten new contestants have been put up for eviction in what is the second batch of the group stage performance.

The contestants, all pooled from the top 30, include 23 years old Bayelsa-born Tama Nisa (Tama Nisa), Godson Goodluck (Classiq Tunez) from Imo State, 19-years old Annabel Paul Blacledge (B.black), Delta-born Esther Aritheshoma Monday (Sther), Adigwe Brenda Ada (Brenda) and 22 years old Paul Manuwa (P.Scholes). Others are Akwa-born Harry Etim (Harry X), Kelvin Oluwaseyi Audu (Shayee), 27 years old Omodele Diana Fatoki (Modele) from Ogun State and Edo-born Ese-Amadasun Imuetiyan (Nex2).

The contestants performed at the weekend before the show's celebrity judges, Dede Mabiaku, Yinka Davies and Darey 'Art' Alade and a live audience at the renowned OMG Dream studios, Ojodu-Omole, Lagos, South Western Nigeria.

Voting lines for preferred contestants opened on Sunday night and will close 11.59 pm on Wednesday. The first three contestants with the highest number of votes will automatically qualify for the top 12 while the evicted seven will hope for the judges' three wild cards at the conclusion of the group stage phase in a forth night. The voting codes for the contestants are 511 (Sther), 512 (Modele), 513 (ClassiqTunez), 514 (Harry X), 515 (Brenda), 516 (Nex 2), 517 (Shayee), 518 (B.black), 519 (Tama Nisa) and 520 (P.Scholes).

In a related development, TV Continental has joined the ranks of TV stations signed to broadcasting the enchanting reality show. The station which went on air last Friday started with the broadcast of the zonal auditions previously shown on other partner stations. It will subsequently run all previous episodes on daily basis at 8.30 pm until it catches up with broadcasts for the on-going group stage performances.

Commenting also on this, the Project Manager, Nigerian Idol 5, Chizoba Nwabunike, expressed satisfaction with the partnership just as she enjoined the viewing Nigerian public to participate in the show by availing themselves of the various viewing platforms including terrestrial and satellite TV stations as well as the internet.

Nigerian Idol season 5 is aired on Saturdays and Sundays on the following terrestrial and satellite TV Stations: NTA National (2.30–3pm on Saturdays and 4.30-6 pm on Sundays), STV (both DSTV and Terrestrial, 9.30-10pm/Sat &8.30-10pm/Sun), TVC (8.8.30PM/Sat & 7-8.30pm/Sun), Hip TV on DSTV(4-4.30pm/ Sat & 4-5.30pm/Sun), Superscreen (8-8.30pm/ Sat & 9-10.30pm/Sun ) and Smash Tv (8-8.30pm/Sat. & 8-9.30pm/Sunday on CONSAT).

Others stations on Startimes are WAP Tv (9-9.30pm/Sat & 9-10.30pm/Sun), AMC (7-7.30pm/Sat & 7-8.30pm/Sun), Rave Tv (7pm), Cool Tv (7.30-8pm/Sat & 9-10.30pm), Wazobia Tv (7.05-7.30pm/Sat & 8.30-10pm/Sun), Real Star Tv (10-10.30pm/Sat & 9-10.30pm/Sun) and Planet TV on GoTV (10-10.30pm/Sat & 9-10.30pm/Sun).

Nigerian Idol focuses on discovering Nigerian youths with talent in music and giving them a unique platform to take shots at stardom. The eventual winner goes home with N7.5 million cash reward, a brand new car, a recording deal worth N7.5 million with Universal Music label and some high-end devices.

To follow Nigerian Idol season 5 online , visit www.nigerianidol.com, use the hash tag #nigerianidol on twitter; on facebook, sign up at facebook.com/nigidol and on Instagram @nigerianidol.