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The contestants on the Nigerian Idol talent show are, to use a common phrase, really “falling” my hand.

Last week’s
performances were based on songs from movies, most of them ballads.
Unfortunately for me, these were songs I know and love, so it was
rather painful watching them being murdered.

The worst was Yeka
Onka’s rendition of the Elton John classic, ‘Daniel’. Before her
performance, she had deemed the song one she could relate with, having
lost people in her life. But at the end of the day, she was trying
rather too hard to reenact the pain of her loss than give a proper
rendition of the song.

For the first time
since the show started, the judges did not pull their punches, lashing
out at those who gave really poor performances. From where I stand, I
think this is too little too late. At this stage in the competition,
the contestants are already supposed to have a handle on their game,
delivering powerful performances that would not only earn them praise
but make the eviction process a difficult one.

Audu Maikori was
especially hard on the lucky three from the wild card- Toni, AJ and
Chito – which is to be expected, going by their lack-lustre
performances. Toni especially is still yet to tap into that superstar
quality which she possesses and which is palpable to everyone except
her. Her lack of self-confidence means that she keeps showing
“potential” and not the real thing. Mini-dress loving AJ gave such a
morose rendition of Roy Orbison’s ‘Pretty Woman’ that at the end of it,
guest judge Lami had to beg her to smile. Chito’s act was not memorable.

As was George’s.
For someone who started out with so much promise, the last two episodes
have seen him going down fast. The only excitement he is capable of
inciting these days is the one we would feel when he eventually gets
evicted, unless he loosens up and strives to become more entertaining.
One person who sure is entertaining is Zoe. But unfortunately, her
energetic choreography often means that she under performs the song
while overdoing the theatrics.

So far, the only
consistent performer is 19-year-old Naomi, currently the youngest in
the competition. The petite singer has managed each week to do justice
to whatever material she is given. Her notes are always on point and
her interpretation has consistently followed the message of the song.
It also helps that she has a powerful voice.

But in shows like this, there is always room for surprises. Who
knows, maybe today, all the contestants including the timid and the
unnecessarily over-confident would suddenly realise why they are on
Nigerian Idol and finally ‘bring it’.