Music reality show, Nigerian Idol season 8 is set to premiere on April 23, and it will end on July 26.

TV personality IK Osakioduwa would be hosting the show for the third season and Obi Asika judging his third season, while superstar singer/songwriter Simi and multiple-award-winning entertainer D’banj are also back for a second time.

The winner of the show would be receiving an N35 million cash prize and N65 million worth of other gifts

Organisers say an increase of 10 per cent was recorded in the entries received for this year’s edition.

The 8th edition follows the brilliant success of the last edition, which saw Progress Chukwuyem emerge as the winner and walk away with N100 million worth of gifts.

The auditions and theatre week will air from April 23 till May 21, so fans can follow the journey of the final live-show contestants.

The live shows will begin on May 28 and end on July 16, when a new Nigerian Idol will emerge.

Speaking at the media parley held on Tuesday, March 28, Dr Busola Tejumola, executive head of content and West Africa channels at MultiChoice Nigeria explained MultiChoice’s reasons for producing an eighth season of the show.

According to her: “Nigerian Idol has continued to offer talented Nigerian artists the platform to show the continent what they can do and an opportunity to rise to fame through hard work and dedication. It is a rare chance to gain access to the hands-on mentorship provided by the judges, our vocal coaches, the world-class production team and the choreographers that altogether unveil the intricacies of the industry to these talents and a chance for them to hone the skill in readiness for their contracts.”

Also speaking at the parley, one of the judges, Obi Asika, said he looked forward to choosing a new winner. He said: “If you are going to make it to the top 20, that’s a real fight because the many people off. Every single year, I’m upset that we left some people behind. It’s always a battle, but it’s also a pleasure. We are blessed with incredible talents. It’s one of the things that make Nigerians special. These amazing talents come through every year, and I assure you there are special people this season

Nigerian Idol is a platform created to showcase remarkable Nigerian voices to a global audience whilst empowering participants with an opportunity of a lifetime.

The show is expected to bring fans the best entertainment as they watch the individuals with the best talent battle to the top prize.

Over the years, the show has produced some of the most prominent musicians in Nigeria, such as Timi Dakolo, Mercy Chinwo, Kingdom, Progress, and Omawumi, who have made names for themselves in the local and global music scenes.