Former Nigerian Idol Contestant, Tonii has released two singles barely two weeks after she exited the reality TV show. Both songs – “Iwo Ni Ma Ba lo” and “I Rule“, solely written and composed by the artiste, clearly project her versatility in neosoul, RnB, pop and contemporary Naija vibes (afro). It is therefore not a surprise that following her exit from the show, the media was filled with the buzz that Audu Maikori’s Chocolate City which also parades stars like M.I, Jesse Jags and Ice Prince has indicated interest in offering her a record deal. While she was on show, Audu and the other judges constantly commended her musical range and vocal strength.
In September 2010, just before she auditioned for the Nigerian Idol contest, Tonii thrilled friends, family and guests from the music industry and media agents at her debut performance held at De Marquee restaurant and lounge bar, an upscale entertainment and relaxation spot in Victoria Island, Lagos. The event was sponsored by Martini and Bacardi.
Born as Oluwatoni Afolayan and raised in the quiet town of Ilorin in Kwara State where she also bagged a BSc in Microbiology from the University of Ilorin, Tonii started singing at an early age and has since been trained by renowned musicians including Peter King, the legendary jazz artist and saxophonist, under whose tutelage she honed her vocal and piano skills. Tonii is definitely one upcoming artiste you should look out for in 2011.
Below are performances from the De Marquee event, and a couple of her live performances on the Nigerian Idol show
http://nigerianidol.com/video_detail.php?id=10&video_id=157
http://nigerianidol.com/video_detail.php?id=10&video_id=128
Profile on Reverbnation – http://www.reverbnation.com/toniiafolayan
I Rule |
[sc_embed_player_template1 fileurl=http://goldenicons.com/audio/Nigerian-Idol-Tonii/Tonii-Afolayan-I-Rule.mp3] |
Iwo Ni Ma Balo |
[sc_embed_player_template1 fileurl=http://goldenicons.com/audio/Nigerian-Idol-Tonii/Iwo-ni-ma-ba-lo.mp3] |
