In a night of high-stakes musical performance, Miss Deborah Bomonyo Inafa, known by her stage name Preiz, was declared the winner of the highly competitive Bayelsa Karaoke Singing Competition Season 5.
The grand finale, held on Tuesday, capped off a two-month-long search for the state's next singing sensation, which began with a pool of over 50 contestants.
Preiz, a Fine and Applied Arts graduate from the Niger Delta University (NDU) and a native of the Ewoama community in Brass Local Government Area, captivated the judges and audience with her powerful rendition of Omawunmi’s "If You Ask Me."
For her victory, the emerging talent was awarded a grand prize of One Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira and a coveted one-year recording deal to launch her professional music career.
The competition was fierce, with Preiz narrowly beating fellow finalist Miss Margaret Deinere Atimi, who performed as "Liquid" and hails from Ekeremor, into second place.
While Liquid received a cash prize of One Million Naira for her efforts, the third-place position and a prize of Five Hundred Thousand Naira went to Ebiegberi Bright Taribio.
The lead organizer of the event, Mr Joseph Emerada Okpeke (popularly known as MC Okpeke), who also serves as the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Entertainment, revealed that the exceptional quality of talent this year forced a change in format.
"Traditionally, we admit six people for the final, but this year we had so many amazing singers that we couldn't limit it to six; we had to increase it to seven," he said.
He described the final round as "very competitive," stressing that all contestants displayed remarkable skill.
To prepare the finalists, the organizers held a one-week intensive training camp. "We had to coach them so they could understand the rudiments and theory of music, not just the practical of singing," MC Okpeke said.
He further extended gratitude to the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri for his unwavering support.
"All these things are happening because of the kind of governor we have. He has been the primary sponsor of this talent development platform. Kudos to His Excellency for this opportunity to develop the music industry in Bayelsa State," he said.
Looking ahead, Okpeke assured that the organizers are committed to the long-term success of all participants, promising that his office would continue to monitor and help nurture the careers of past winners and standout contestants.
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