Choirs battle at Choirfest

Last week witnessed the kick off of the first ever challenge for choirs across the country. according to organisers the programme is to give an opportunity to choirs and gospel groups to display their musical skills and also compete on a very high level. The contest will be multi-denominational and will accept entries from different church denominations.

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According to the Olumide Emmanuel, the Chief coordinator of the competition, the decision to birth such an event was out of necessity. “The choir is dying, yet it is the choir that gave birth to all these solo artistes you see today, whether gospel or secular . There was a time where the choir in churches are very vibrant but today, many churches to not have active choirs anymore. We need to bring back the good old days, how do we do that?, well if we have competitions like Choirfest, the choir will be more enticing to the young musicians,” he said.

There are also enticing prices for the winner of the competition and the runner-ups. The winning choir will be going home with N1m, and a recording deal. The runner-ups get N.5m and N.3m including a record deal. They will be signed on to Lifeline records which is also owned by Olumide Emmanuel. Emmanuel also promises that contestants will not just be competing but also be gaining knowledge. Finalists will be groomed by professionals in the industry.

While speaking with Afojeare Ikhialose-Igbauma popularly known as DJ Gosporella, he explains that the show is aimed at recognising the great talents in the church. “It is common knowledge that the church choir plays a vital role in every local assembly. Churches across denominations parade spectacular and gifted choir groups. In the competition, we will stand one out. Gospel  Explosion is out to expose, celebrate and reward the best choirs. It is a motivational platform to encourage choir members to aspire for excellence. Right now, we have a few supporters. We urge sponsors to take part,” Gosporella said.