Goldberg’s Ariya Repete set to thrill consumers With “The Fusion”

Ariya Repete, Nigeria’s foremost talent hunt competition for indigenous music is back for yet another edition tagged, ‘the Fusion’, as it would be introducing an all-new category, ‘Afro Pop’, to the existing Juju and Fuji.

The 2019 edition was announced on Tuesday, 21st May, at a media briefing hosted at the Nigerian Breweries Plc headquarters in Lagos, which also marked the World Cultural & Diversity Day; providing the perfect incentive for Goldberg Lager to unveil the beloved talent hunt competition at its ‘Roundtable’.

The ‘Roundtable’, an annual discourse, heralding the Ariya Repete competition, also serves to promote intellectual discussions amongst key stakeholders in the music industry, especially in the Fuji, Juju and now, Afro Hip –Hop genres. Nigerian music is constantly evolving, and this is emphasized by the new wave of talented Afro-pop artists who draw inspiration from a pool of various traditional music genres as well as some modern influences. In light of this, the topic of conversation, “One Culture, One Voice, New Sound” was borne out of Goldberg’s commitment to highlight and celebrate the fusion of these various genres, as well as the influence of contemporary music in our modern day Nigerian sound.

Moderated by leading on-air personality, Adebayo Faleke and celebrated Juju artiste, Ludare, the panelists included veterans like: Sir Shina Peters, Dr. Saheed Osupa, Yinka Davis, Alhaji Sikiru Agboola, the President of Fuji Musicians Association of Nigeria (FUMAN), and Tolu Obey, an executive of the Performing Musician Association of Nigeria (PMAN) and son of legendary Juju artist, Chief Ebenezer Obey.

Also on the panel were Sound Sultan and renowned music producer, ID Cabasa. The ‘fusion’ of various musical genres was the core of the ‘Roundtable’ discussion, as the panelists expressed their opinions on how the blend of traditional and contemporary genres have changed not only Nigerian music but also the perception of its listeners, thus bridging the gap between the old and new generation.

 They also beamed light on the evolution of indigenous genres of music, highlighting the roles played by both the older and younger generation of artists while pontificating the huge potential of the industry in years to come. 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 of reaching an even wider audience. This is particularly exciting for fans of the show as this edition will be introducing an all-new ‘Afro Pop’ category.

The introduction of Afro-Pop has already gotten fans eagerly anticipating the selection parties, which will be kicking off in various cities across South-West 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 competition: “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. We recognize that with the evolving times, no longer are traditional and contemporary music exclusive from each other, now it has become a blend of one unique sound which a lot of young Nigerians are embracing.

“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 South Western Nigeria.” The regional auditions are set to kick-off from the 11th of June, as Goldberg takes the auditions and selection parties to eight (8) South-West cities in two weeks.

The selected talents will then head to the Ariya Academy 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. The Semi-Final will be hosted on the 12th of July, while the grand finale is slated for 19th of July. Amongst other invited artistes and guests at the event included: Muyiwa Osinake; renowned dancer, Adebayo “Ijodee”; Segun Nabi, and Champion Kunle Opio.  They shared their knowledge and views on how to enrich the ‘fusion’, which has come to bridge music genres in the industry. Others present were: Juju artiste, Dele Taiwo, veteran actors, Paul Adams, Mojisola Oyetayo, Ann Njemanze, and winner of last year’s Ariya Repete Fuji category, Ashafa Martins.