D’banj, Simi, Obi Asika Return as Judges For Nigerian Idol Season 8

D’banj, Simi, and Obi Asika will return as judges for season 8 of Nigerian Idol,which will premiere on April 23 ,2023.

MultiChoice Nigeria announced the show and judges’ return at a media launch in the company’s multipurpose Lagos studio. Popular TV personality, IK Osakioduwa, will be returning as the show’s host for a third time alongside Obi Asika, who will also be judging his third season.

Superstar singer/songwriter Simi and multiple-award-winning entertainer D’banj are also back for a second time, ensuring the band stays together.

The leading entertainment company announced the return of the show in January, with the online and physical auditions following shortly after. The eighth season, which was said to have recorded a substantial increase in participant’s entries, will premiere on April 23, starting with recordings from the auditions.

Fans expect to be thrilled by hilarious and beautiful performances from upcoming superstars. 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.

This year we are thrilled to have our entire panel of judges back – D’Banj, Simi, Obi Asika. They will return to steer the course of affairs. We look forward to a wide array of music and song choices across genres and spectacular performances that together deliver a fantastic show.”
Returning judge Simi spoke about the qualities a Nigerian Idol must possess. She said, “Have a great work ethic and be passionate about your work Talent is never enough.”

On the other hand, Obi Asika confessed he was looking forward to beginning the journey of choosing a new winner. He said, “If you are going to make it to the top 20, that’s a real fight because there are a lot of people, and many fall 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 can assure you that there are special people this season.”