Do you remember the hit song, ‘Kukere‘? If you do, then you probably remember its singer, Iyanya. Then there are Chidinma, Omawumi and the rest who lit up the music scene at different times. These guys are all products of the MTN Project Fame years ago.
However, the show which started in 2008 and came to an unexpected end in 2016.
But MTN Nigeria has announced that the search for music superstars has begun again, but this time the name is different. Introducing… MTN Y’ello Star Music Talent Show.
How is MTN Y’ello Star different from Project Fame?
The sole focus of Project Fame was to identify people with musical talent and give deserving ones a launchpad into their chosen career path. Many people auditioned to be a part of the show and some of them are still known today.
According to MTN, Y’ello Star is also a platform to identify and launch musical talents in the country. There will be regional auditions which will hold at centers in Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Lagos. Winners from the Regionals will proceed to the incubation hub in Lagos.
This is no different from how Project Fame was organized as well, except that Project Fame was open to other countries in West Africa. Y’ello Star is open to the musically talented only in Nigeria.
In terms of program structure and stages of the show the contestants will undergo, the two music shows are the same. So, can we say Y’ello Star is MTN’s way of bringing Project Fame back to life?
Does Y’ello Star stand a chance where Project Fame Failed?
In 2016, MTN abandoned its sponsorship of Project Fame and the musical show stopped airing. While the telco did not release an announcement to explain why the show stopped, several speculations shot up as to why it stopped airing.
One of the speculations was that the talent show was finding it hard to find talents as it neared its demise. Others felt that the House and the housemates grew boring overtime and could have done with some more drama, like Big Brother Naija.
If a lack of talent pool was the reason for pulling the curtain over MTN Project Fame in 2016, then now, 4 years later, there is bound to be a fresh crop of talents gearing to be a part of this new show.
Whatever degree of truth was present in the speculations, after so many years, we expect that MTN has a more definite and sustainable plan and timeline for the new Y’ello Star.