After Awka, Hi-Life Fest heads to Asaba

Awka, the capital city of Anambra was alive recently, as the Hi-Life Fest crew stormed the town for the regional auditions that saw raw talents on display.

Amazing performances, electrifying stagecraft and an ever-lively audience best describe the atmosphere on the night, as residents thronged out en masse to witness the show, which was returning to the city for its second consecutive year.

Just as it happened the previous week in Enugu, scores of talented artistes and vibrant dancers got a chance to battle on stage after undergoing a screening process. The judges, which included Highlife maestro, Bright Chimezie, African dance scholar, Dr Akaz, actor, David Jones-David and special guest judge, I Go Tuk aka Main Market man, had tough time picking from the crowd.

After a keenly contested night, two singers, Frank Onyeka and Prince Destiny Onochuwkwu emerged first and second in the singing category, while Megastar dance troupe won in the best dance group.

The singers and dance group advanced to the quarterfinals while the other contestants went home with consolation prizes courtesy of Life Continental Lager beer.

The Hi-Life Fest train will be making its next stop in Asaba, Delta State, with auditions set to hold in the days before the regional knock-out on Sunday, June 23, at the Sandy Gold Hotel on Abraka Road. The overall winner of the 2019 Hi-Life Fest will walk home with a whopping prize-money of N5 Million, while the first and second runners-up will also go home with N2 million and N1 million Naira respectively.

Hi-Life Fest is an initiative of Life Continental Lager Beer, the fine quality lager from the stables of Nigerian Breweries Plc. The beer is made from the finest choice of grains, hob extracts and the purest of waters, expertly brewed to give that rich, crisp distinctive taste.

Following successful editions in 2017 and 2018, Hi-Life Fest 2019 edition themed The Rhythm of Progress, is raising the bar this year by taking the excitement to television. This is the first time the competition will be broadcast to millions of viewers on local and cable TV, with Soundcity set to chronicle the show with episodes airing shortly after each stage of the competition.

This episodic treatment has got fans eagerly anticipating the contest, particularly with the announcement of Nollywood star, Gideon Okeke as the official TV host for the show. Fans of highlife music can look forward to enjoying another enthralling edition of one of the most beloved indigenous talent hunt competitions in Nigeria.

Speaking after the media announcement, Life Lager Brand Manager, Chidi Egwu shared his vision for the 2019 edition of Hi-Life Fest.

“Hi-life Fest has been one of our most beloved platforms. This is one of the ways we connect with our consumers and celebrate our shared love for highlife music.

After two successful editions, which produced two remarkable talented musical acts, we’ve decided to take this competition a step further and showcase these talents to the whole of Africa. Our partnership with Soundcity will see us release episodes of this year’s competition.

This television treatment will not only showcase the talents of our contestants, but also will profile their evolution as they go along the tournament and expose them to a wider audience. We want to celebrate their progress and show the world that some of the best musical talents can be discovered in South-Eastern Nigeria.”