Nicolas is early favourite after double decker Project Fame performance weekend
The heat is on in the Project Fame West Africa academy as the weekly performances kicked off last Saturday. The contestants were great on the night but I can already tell that it's going to be a man's world as some of the guys showed early quality above their female counterparts.
Topping all the performances on the night was Liberia's unassuming and ever so pleasant, Nicolas. His amazing rendition of Westlife's pop ballad, 'On Angels Wing' showcased his wonderful vocal range, plunging the whole auditorium of the Ultima Studios into a standing ovation. And all he could do was to stand and smile as though unaware of his talent.
Since this was the first outing for the contestants it was understandable that some of them were a bit nervous and pitchy. I had a problem with David because he was pitchy and nasal and he struggled with some of his notes. Krimi is always full of energy, too much energy if you ask me. She lacked control and her performance was all over the place. Deniece was disappointing; the pretty face singer is clearly the diva in the academy but her first outing was poor. Her voice was not on point, she lacked energy and she was flat for a greater part of her performance. Tomiwa wasn't too bad but I felt he looked too old to perform a Backstreet Boys' song, i.e. 'As long as you love me'. Mike is full of himself and too childish, and it reflected in his performance.
The gang were back on Sunday night at the Ultima Studios for a second chance to impress the judges and viewers in order to stay off probation and possible elimination. But I didn't enjoy the Sunday performances because it looked like an afterthought; the contestants weren't properly attired, and the auditorium felt lifeless most of the time. Perhaps it was a problem with my TV set but the sound quality wasn't that great either.
In spite of the general lacklustre on the night, some of the contestants managed to shine. Sametta was good on the night and Deniece was much better as she showed some 'divacity' on Keisha Cole's 'Sent from Heaven'. Desmond, Nigeria's velvet teddy bear was great again on the second day. Anis was very average on both nights but still has a lot of potential and he must go easy on the swag and bring on the talent. Zoe is also a favourite of the judges and faculty members but she is yet to impress me. I wasn't wowed by Nicolas' second day performance either but purely as a result of his song choice, he nailed it yet again!
After the two nights, the judges put Mike, Jennifer, David and Tarri on probation and I agree with their choice. Tarri and Jennifer didn't stand out enough for me on both nights; they were completely forgettable, hence the reason why I didn't even mention their names. LOL!