Hi-Life Fest, a talent competition aimed at discovering and development of upcoming artistes through the mentorship of key music industry players, has announced its top four regional winners.

Hi-Life Fest is an initiative of Life Continental Lager Beer, a brand committed to the progress of the Igbo man. Highlife music is important to the people of Nigeria and with highlife legends like Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe, Celestine Ukwu, Oliver De Coque, Victor Uwaifo and many others, the music genre has made the South-east region its home.

A total of four regional auditions in Owerri, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Aba have been carried out, the profile of the regional winners are as follows;

OWERRI WINNER – UMUNAKWE NWAYIAKU

Umunakwe Nwayiaku, a graduate of Instrumental and Control Option, Federal Polytechnic Nekede won the first regional competition in Owerri having heard about the competition via Instagram.

As a lover of Highlife music and like other recording artistes, he gathers his inspiration from issues and situation of things around him.

“Highlife music is my life. If I become the winner, I intend to influence and educate people through music – every song will have a meaning and pass a message to all listeners,” Nwayiaku said.

He expressed gratitude to the Hi-Life Fest organisers for giving him the opportunity to be part of something great, and also gave thanks to God for emerging one of the top three winners in the regional competition.

Nwayiaku hopes to make Nigeria proud by representing the country across the world through Highlife music.

PORT HARCOURT WINNER – ROSELINE AKPAN

Roseline Akpan, 24, runs a baking business after completing her Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Journalism in 2012.

Akpan, who is passionate about music, won the second regional audition of the competition in Port Harcourt. She heard about the competition on radio and decided to try it out.

“I started singing as a kid in the church choir and I enjoy doing it whenever I have the opportunity to. I intend to pursue a career in music by taking advantage of the platform that winning Hi-Life Fest brings,” she said.

Akpan hopes to further her education and expand her baking business if she wins.

ENUGU WINNER – CHIBEST DAVID

“Restoring Highlife to its past glory is what drives me while performing,” said Chibest David, the 29-year-old regional winner from Enugu.

David is a final year student of Political Science, a sound engineer, and also a full-time music artiste.

His love for Highlife can be said to be inherited as his father who was a guitarist for the Oriental Brothers, a popular music band back in the ‘90s

“Music is my life as it serves as a means of livelihood while keeping me happy and motivated. I want to be able to share my knowledge of this genre of music with others as I believe it is not what it used to be,” he said.

David, who plays the keyboard and drums, intends to help upcoming Highlife artistes if he wins the Hi-Life Fest.

ABA WINNER – ONUOHA KINGSLEY

Onuoha Kingsley, a 33-year-old highlife artist emerged the regional winner of Hi-Life Fest from Aba.

He hails from Imo state and started singing at the age of 6.

“Highlife music has always been a part of my life as I was trained by Ikenga Super Stars of Africa to sing and play the guitar,” he said.

He expressed this gratitude to Life Continental Beer for creating the platform as he had always search earnestly or a sponsor /platform to share his gift with the world.

Kingsley intends to donate the winning prize to a humanitarian cause and take full advantage of the recording deal if he wins the Hi-Life Fest.

The competition will be coming to an end with the crowning of the next king of highlife in grand style as the finale takes place on Sunday 18th of June 2017 at Sonia Resorts, Awada Onitsha.