After months of thrilling and highly competitive performances, Ayo Benzi has emerged as the winner of the maiden edition of the Next Afrobeats Star Reality Show, clinching the grand prize of a whopping N150 million music deal.
Benzi was crowned the pioneer winner at the grand finale of the MTN Nigeria-powered music competition, held at Ultima Studios, Amore, Lekki, Lagos, where he outshone four other finalists to claim the top prize.
Coming close was Dave Cash, who emerged as the first runner-up to clinch a 100 million naira music deal, while the only female finalist, Kaeko, finished as second runner-up, earning a N75 million music deal.
Somto O’Laker and Lucky Yay finished as third and fourth runners-up, respectively, earning N50 million and N25 million music deals apiece.
The final results followed a series of electrifying performances by the contestants, who thrilled both the audience and judges with their originality and stagecraft.
The judging panel comprised renowned music producers Puffy Tee, Sarz, Andre Vibez, and D. Prime. The competition, which adopted an “originals-only” format, required contestants to audition and compete using their own songs rather than covers, an approach that highlighted creativity and artistic authenticity.
The event also featured a special performance from superstar musician Bella Shmurda.
In his acceptance speech, an emotional Ayo Benzi dedicated his victory to his grandmother, who was present at the event, as well as to his supporters.
“I’m short of words. God is the greatest. This is a sign of not giving up because I’ve been pushing all this while. I’ve been to other competitions.
“There are some who get the prize, and there are some who don’t get the prize, but obviously, this is big. The fact is that I didn’t give up, and I still have to take this again,” he said.
When asked if he ever believed he would go far in the competition, Benzi responded confidently: “Yeah, I believe in myself, and that’s why I never give up. This isn’t my first time; my music won me a prize.
“The fact that back-to-back my music has won me prizes, I believe, if I don’t give up, there are still bigger prizes out there. Consistency! I just have to do it. Even with the fact that I have other jobs, because I used to see music as a side hustle, but the fact that I know that people are crazy about me is a sign that I have a long way to go.”
Speaking on challenges during the competition, the Benin-born artiste said his journey was largely smooth: “I never felt like I had any challenges because my coming for the audition, the first audition I got three ‘yeses’, everything was just going smoothly. I never had any bad performance; I was just enjoying myself because I knew I had the talent.
“My own is I know people just had to see me, so that’s why I just had to enjoy myself. God has given me the talent. Enjoy yourself and let the whole world see you, and I believe this is just the beginning. We are about to take it far and away.”
On his aspirations, Ayo Benzi said: “Alot, a lot, but for now I just want to do better and make sure the younger ones out there never give up on their dreams. Where I come from, e go far Gan.
“If I can do it without a sponsor and help. I no get sponsor and help, and I dey fresh because say I dey work hard and I dey use one eye look out for opportunities.
“Poverty should not be an excuse as long as you have your hands, you have your legs, do what it takes to get there. Poverty shouldn’t be an excuse, and I thank the Lord.”
He also expressed gratitude to the competition’s organiser: “A big thank you to MTN because I began to feel like a celeb from the first day because of the treatment MTN has been giving us. A big shout-out to MTN, God bless the brand, and I promise to rep them wherever I go,” he enthused.
On her part, the Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, expressed her company’s delight at creating such a platform to support emerging talents and ultimately contribute to one of Nigeria’s greatest exports, Afrobeats.
While congratulating Ayo Benzi, she encouraged the runners-up to also see themselves as winners, urging them to build on the advantage the platform has given to them.
“We are absolutely ecstatic, the youths are the future of Nigeria and the future of Africa, and we are proud to be proud of that segment of the market that we believe represents. One of the areas where Nigeria’s exports have been quite recognised is music, and Afrobeats has taken centre stage in the world, and we are very, very delighted to be a part of that story.
For us at MTN, when we think about the youths of Nigeria, we think about the creativity, and we think about the love Nigerians have for music,” she said.
“Today, we crown the very, very first Next Afrobeats Star, Ayo Benzi, and we are delighted at the prospects that he has.”
To other contestants, Ikenna-Emeka said, “The world is their playground. I wish them the very best, and I do believe that a platform has been provided, and it’s for them to take advantage of the platform.
“They may not have won today, but definitely this has provided them with the platform to take their skills and talents to the next step.”
