ABOUT SOUNDCITY AWARDS

SMVA 2008: Promise delivered - Adepetu

Nas, Freshlyground, D’Banj, others dazzle at SMVA 2008

SMVA 2008: Soundcity’s first, industry’s best yet

SMVA 2008: quality recognition for quality music videos

As predicted, the 2008 Soundcity Music Video Awards did not just hold, it indeed held all spellbound. On the night of Friday, April 11, at the Shell Hall of the prestigious MUSON Centre, Nigeria’s first and foremost lifestyle, music and entertainment television channel, Soundcity, truly fulfilled its reputation of adding value to life with the power of music when it hosted the exceptional Awards ceremony, with all the glitz, glamour and quality entertainment synonymous with Soundcity.

The Awards was a convergence of Nigeria’s fledging music industry, and it featured the best of recognition and entertainment as never before experienced at any similar event in the country, with live telecast on cable and terrestrial television, with commentaries on radio transmitted across Africa, the United States, the United Kingdom, and some other parts of Europe.

Nas, the American music icon was on hand to thrill the attendees, reeling out his most famous songs one after another, also getting SMVA recognition for his influence on hip hop music. He kept the crowd on their feet all night at the Awards which had started with a one-in-town Red Carpet event. The red carpet led guests into a very innovative concept of a tunnel where Denrele, Soundcity’s enigmatic channel ambassador was on hand to welcome the esteemed guests. Yeancah and Chinwe were further up in the tunnel also taking interviews which were fed unto live television.

The event was thrilling indeed as to keep even viewers at home awake until well past midnight. Alhassan Subairu from Yola was so overwhelmed as to mention on the Soundcity website that Nigeria was actually Africa’s entertainment destination, if what he saw on television indeed took place in Nigeria and put together by Nigerians.

The host D’Banj, his co-host Ashionye and fast-rising comedian AY, were on hand to make the event a delight. It was truly first class entertainment all the way. The Philharmonic Orchestra of the Musical Society of Nigeria gave a remarkable account of itself, in addition to equally splendid performances by Tony Teteuila, Eedris Abdulkareem and Eddy Montana of the Remedies who came together just for the SMVA, and taking the audience down memory lane.

South Africa’s Freshlyground, Tic Tac who came all the way from Ghana, Peter and Paul of P Square, D’Banj, Don Jazzy and the Mo’Hits Crew, Nato C, Ikechukwu, Sasha, the Storm All Stars, Kaffy, and QuestionMark All Stars also brought their exceptional talents to bear on the event.

"I guess you know that Soundcity is a medium that represents a repertoire of encompassing music videos - as far as it is music and it is good to someone’s eyes as it is to the ears. We needed the SMVA in the continuing pursuance of the Soundcity channel’s noble objectives, and to extend further entertainment to our esteemed viewers. Thus we made a promise for a quality outing, and I’m very excited we have delivered", said Tajuddeen Adepetu, Chief Executive Officer of the Consolidated Media Associates (Soundcity’s parent body), and Executive Producer of the Awards.

"Hosting a world-class event requires using modern technology, and this really enhanced our event, making it quite robust indeed. This is one Awards in the history of the Nigerian entertainment that nobody will wish to forget in a hurry; and you saw that the activity itself showed the viewing preferences of Nigerians, with entries for the fourteen categories adjudged on the criteria of originality, style, creativity, expression, and graphic quality", he added.

Perhaps it was this confidence in his company that translated into winning the City People Entertainment Company of the Year Award.

The Award Screening Committee chairperson, and Head, Creative and Research at the Silverbird Group, Mr. Jacob Akinyemi Johnson, said the excitement the awards generated was a vindication, and an indication that his committee did a thorough job. He said he was quite impressed with the turnout and reaction of the winners and the audience as it showed their accent to the efforts of the Awards Screening Committee.

There was the red carpet sprawling right from several meters away, and leading into a tunnel richly branded with MTN, Unilever, Guinness, Virgin Atlantic, Soundcity, Televista and Spice’s details. A member of staff from one of the sponsoring companies even said they were not surprised by the fantastic outing that the SMVA came to be as they had already taken for granted, the reputation of the leading TV platform to always deliver.

In the tunnel, you had the best of production technology at play, the cranes, the cameras, audio and visual facilities, the mega screens, all the exciting cocktails were a marvel. So much attention was paid to details, little wonder the quality of sound, and general ambience was an experience to behold. And the interior of the venue proper was something else as it took you into another world entirely. It was a complete transformation of the Shell Hall from what we knew it to be, and the set replicated a DVD player, taking you right into the world of music videos themselves, and simulating a real video production process experience.

"I felt like I was inside a DVD, you know, as part of the cast of a music video, and my eyes were so glued to the stage I couldn’t blink a second; I wonder what SMVA 2009 will be like", said screen diva, Oge Okoye.

The fun was not to end at the MUSON Centre as the train moved onto K’s Place on Akin Adesola Road, Victoria Island where all the nominees, winners, crew, invitees and fun lovers bombarded the club. It was truly one long night of ample entertainment.

SMVA 2008: ALL THE CATEGORIES, NOMINEES AND WINNERS

BEST MALE VIDEO

Eldee : I’m Leaving

Charly Boy : Ninja Bike

Jimmy Jatt : Stylee (WINNER)

MP : No Dull Yourself

D’Banj : Move your body

Faze : Kolomental

Rasqui : Dapada

BEST FEMALE VIDEO

Sasha : Adara

TY Bello : Greenland