From the states to even countries like Afghanistan, the “Idol” franchise has been the heartthrob of fans of all ages. Whether they were eight year old children, or thirty five year old mothers, the Idol franchise has created spectacular singers around the globe. After years of enjoying global success, Idol is finally here in the Maldives, and the fever has definitely caught on! 

With the auditions that kicked off during the second week of October, everyone was on edge. Citizens of all the islands were in full gear, promoting the show in any way possible. One of the most notable methods included the “Maldivian Idol” twibbon which was being used by a lot of people on Facebook, as well as the promotional video clips shot in the various islands where the auditions were held. The promotional clips featured various local talents showcasing their skills, and asking all those interested to go out and audition for the first international TV franchise in the Maldives.

Hundreds of children and adults also showed up at the “Selfie with Maldivian Idol Logo” event held at the artificial beach by the Idol team, to take a selfie with the Idol logo plaque. The crowd – dressed to the nines – that gathered to the area once again showed the support and the excitement that the general public have towards the show.

But what seemed to be the most colossal news surrounding Maldivian Idol definitely had to be the one regarding the title sponsor. Maldives’ leading telecommunications company – Dhiraagu signed the deal with Public Service Media as the title sponsor of the show, and is contributing over a $100,000 for just one program. A whopping amount, certainly. But enough to make the dreams of Maldivians a reality. Moreover, the deal was signed on the 27th anniversary of Dhiraagu – and the double celebrations called in for a festive event at the TVM studios, which saw the staff of PSM and senior management of Dhiraagu indulge in some sugar topped delicacies. 

Lotus Fihaara, Vatika, Allied Insurance and Maldivian were also quick to jump on the bandwagon, as they signed deals to become main sponsors of the show respectively, while XL Energy had become the ‘Beverage Partner’ of the show.

With great sponsors comes a greater prize! The winner of Maldivian Idol will be awarded MVR 250,000 – and that’s just one prize. Additional prizes have been arranged for the winner, but we would let time reveal the details of those. And of course, your very own Moosa Waseem and Aminath Maureen will be hosting the show, which basically confirms that you will have a great time throughout the show! The presenters had been selected by Fremantle Media among the shortlisted candidates for its franchise show.

All in all, the support for Idol so far had been great and unexpected! With the premiere of the show just a few hours from now, everyone seems to be impatient. Well, let’s just wait and see how the show delivers what it’s promised to its viewers. It would definitely be worth

-Hussain Ali-