Timi Dakolo
Encyclopedia
Timi Dakolo is a Nigeria
n singer. Although he was born in Ghana, Dakolo did not claim dual citizenship and holds a Nigerian passport
. He is the winner of the first season of Idols West Africa. He was declared the winner on May 26, 2007 at the home of Idols, Planet One. The show was televised the next day. He beat out runner-up, Omawumi Megbele getting 63% of the votes. With his victory, he took home many prizes including a recording contract with Sony BMG.
, Ghana
to a Nigerian father, Bayelsa-native David and a Ghanaian mother, Norah, who died when Dakolo was thirteen. His grandmother Ateni Dakolo, who lived in Port Harcourt raised him, and he credits her as his early singing teacher. Although his parents came to take Dakolo to live with them in Lagos when he was three, Dakolo refused to leave his grandmother.
Dakolo started singing in church at the age of twelve. In 2003 he joined the singing group Purple Love as a founding member. They dominated the Port Harcourt club circuit, but disbanded in 2005 as its members had gained admission into the University of Port Harcourt
.
Before Idol, he won a local talent hunt contest G.E FACTO held in Port Harcourt.
. His songs of choice were Commissioned's More Than I and Lemar's Time to Grow. His vocals impressed the judges, and was seen as a contender for the prize. A week before the viewing of the Top 24 performances, Dakolo received the news that his grandmother had died.
Dakolo first auditioned in Calabar, Cross River State of Nigeria with Commissioned's More Than I and Lemar's Time to Grow. [5] While in the competition, Timi Dakolo was never in the bottom 3. In the final three weeks of the competition it was revealed by the producers of the show that Timi had the highest number of votes each of those weeks.
While in the competition, Timi's grandmother died, a week before the viewing of the Top 24 performances. This was a big emotional blow to him. At that time, he turned to his Christian faith for strength to pull through in the competition. Before going to Idols West Africa, Timi was a student of Communication Studies in the University of Port Harcourt (Same University with Miss World 2001, Agbani Darego).
militants and did not target Timi. Although a hotel security guard was murdered in the attack, Timi escaped with a flesh wound, was rushed to the hospital, treated and discharged on the same day.
Timi Dakolo released his first single comprising three songs in October 2009.
In 2011, he released the song "There's a Cry". The music video was filmed in Nigeria. He is currently signed with Lone Records/Now Muzik.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n singer. Although he was born in Ghana, Dakolo did not claim dual citizenship and holds a Nigerian passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
. He is the winner of the first season of Idols West Africa. He was declared the winner on May 26, 2007 at the home of Idols, Planet One. The show was televised the next day. He beat out runner-up, Omawumi Megbele getting 63% of the votes. With his victory, he took home many prizes including a recording contract with Sony BMG.
Childhood/Early Career
Dakolo was born in AccraAccra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
to a Nigerian father, Bayelsa-native David and a Ghanaian mother, Norah, who died when Dakolo was thirteen. His grandmother Ateni Dakolo, who lived in Port Harcourt raised him, and he credits her as his early singing teacher. Although his parents came to take Dakolo to live with them in Lagos when he was three, Dakolo refused to leave his grandmother.
Dakolo started singing in church at the age of twelve. In 2003 he joined the singing group Purple Love as a founding member. They dominated the Port Harcourt club circuit, but disbanded in 2005 as its members had gained admission into the University of Port Harcourt
University of Port Harcourt
The University of Port Harcourt is a university in the Nigerian city of Port Harcourt. It was established in 1975 as University College, Port Harcourt, and was given university status in 1977.-Faculties:...
.
Before Idol, he won a local talent hunt contest G.E FACTO held in Port Harcourt.
Idols West Africa
In 2006, Dakolo auditioned for reality show Idols West Africa in CalabarCalabar
Calabar is a city in Cross River State, southeastern Nigeria. The original name for Calabar was Atakpa, from the Jukun language....
. His songs of choice were Commissioned's More Than I and Lemar's Time to Grow. His vocals impressed the judges, and was seen as a contender for the prize. A week before the viewing of the Top 24 performances, Dakolo received the news that his grandmother had died.
Dakolo first auditioned in Calabar, Cross River State of Nigeria with Commissioned's More Than I and Lemar's Time to Grow. [5] While in the competition, Timi Dakolo was never in the bottom 3. In the final three weeks of the competition it was revealed by the producers of the show that Timi had the highest number of votes each of those weeks.
While in the competition, Timi's grandmother died, a week before the viewing of the Top 24 performances. This was a big emotional blow to him. At that time, he turned to his Christian faith for strength to pull through in the competition. Before going to Idols West Africa, Timi was a student of Communication Studies in the University of Port Harcourt (Same University with Miss World 2001, Agbani Darego).
After Idol
After winning Idol West Africa in 2007, on January 1, 2008, on New Years Day, Timi Dakolo was shot at the lobby of the Presidential Hotel in Port Harcourt. He had gone to the hotel to attend a church service in the company of his friends. The attack was a random act of violence by a faction of Niger DeltaNiger Delta
The Niger Delta, the delta of the Niger River in Nigeria, is a densely populated region sometimes called the Oil Rivers because it was once a major producer of palm oil...
militants and did not target Timi. Although a hotel security guard was murdered in the attack, Timi escaped with a flesh wound, was rushed to the hospital, treated and discharged on the same day.
Timi Dakolo released his first single comprising three songs in October 2009.
In 2011, he released the song "There's a Cry". The music video was filmed in Nigeria. He is currently signed with Lone Records/Now Muzik.
External links
- Timi's Official Website
- Idols WA Official Website
- Timi Dakolo on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....