Ariya Repete introduces Afro-Pop Category in 2019 edition

By Odunewu Segun

Nigeria’s foremost talent hunt competition for indigenous Yoruba music is back for yet another edition. The 2019 Edition of Ariya Repete was announced on the 21st of May at a media briefing hosted at the Nigerian Breweries Headquarters in Lagos.

The day, which also marked the World cultural & diversity day, provided the perfect incentive for Goldberg Lager to unveil the beloved talent hunt competition.

The media briefing featured an excellent roundtable conversation by some veterans in traditional genres of Yoruba music (i.e Juju, Fuji) as well as some new generation artists whose music has been influenced by the Yoruba culture.

Moderated by leading on-air personality – Adebayo Faleke, the panelists included veterans like Dr Saheed Osupa, Sir Shina Peters, Yinka Davis, President of FUMAN, Alhaji Sikiru Agboola as well as Tolu Obey, who is a PMAN executive and the son of Legendary Juju artist, Ebenezer Obey.

The new generation was ably represented by the likes of Sound Sultan and renowned music producer ID Cabasa.

The panel discussion which was themed around the topic – “One Culture, One Voice, New Sound” provided the perfect platform to announce the return of one the most revered initiatives that celebrate the Yoruba culture.

The panelists discussed the evolution of indigenous Yoruba genres of music, highlighting the roles played by both the older and younger generation of artists. The exciting roundtable conversations was an eye opener as the artists shared various insights into the past and potential future of the industry.

This year’s edition of Ariya Repete is set to up the ante and will be the first ever to be aired on television with the aim to reach an even wider audience. This is particularly exciting for fans of the show as the 2019 Ariya Repete will be introducing an all-new category tagged ‘Afro Pop’.

The introduction of Afro-Pop has already got fans eagerly anticipating the selection parties which will be kicking off in various cities across western Nigeria on the 11th of June.

Senior Brand Manager of Goldberg & Life Lager, Maria Shadeko who spoke at the round table session expressed delight at the return of the talent hunt,

“Ariya Repete is a very special platform that allows us to showcase and celebrate the very best talents in South-Western Nigeria. Over the years, we have been able to continually delight our consumers with this initiative as well as provide unforgettable memories for winners of past editions. This year we are taking it further by not only increasing the prize money but also adding an all-new category. The theme of this year’s competition is ‘The Fusion’, and in light of this, we are looking for the next big artist who will dominate the Nigerian music scene.

We, at Goldberg, applaud the innovative and inspiring fusion of traditional Yoruba music with contemporary music. This year, with Ariya Repete we want to celebrate this blend of both worlds. We believe that the 2019 Ariya Repete will be the best ever, which is why we are taking the experience to TV, to show all of Africa that Goldberg Lager believes and celebrates the amazing indigenous talents from southwestern Nigeria.”

The regional auditions are set to kick-off on the 11th of June as Goldberg takes the auditions and selection parties to 8 western cities in two weeks. The selected talents will then head down to Lagos for mentorship sessions by some of the respected acts in their genres before returning to the contest to slug it in the quarterfinals from 5th of July.