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Blessing Offor  

Musician & Reality TV Star

Born blind in his left eye due to congenital glaucoma, standout musician Blessing Offor of The Voice emigrated to the U.S. from Nigeria at the age of six. Offor’s parents made the difficult decision to split up their tightly knit family to send their youngest child to America, where he could be properly medically treated and educated. Although Offer’s parents miss him deeply (they haven’t seen each other in nearly 20 years), their sacrifice secured a future that would not have been possible for him in Nigeria.

In another twist of fate, a young Offor was shot in the right eye at with a water gun while playing in his backyard. The accident detached his retina and effectively robbed him of his remaining vision; he then found himself navigating a new world without sight during preadolescence. However, he soon found solace inn singing and writing songs, taking voice lessons and listening to the singers and songwriters that would later impact his style.

With a genuine love of people, a zeal for networking and inexhaustible energy, Offor is still making his dreams come true. He has opened for such legendary acts as The Temptations, Tower of Power, Average White Man, as well as the winner of the first season of The Voice, Javier Cologne. With an infectious joy, Offor consistently wins new fans — not just with his music, but with his outgoing personality.

Offor was a contestant on season seven of The Voice, where Pharrell Williams, Adam Levine, Taylor Swift, and Alicia Keys have mentored him. He has also appeared on Bravo’s songwriting competition show Platinum Hit, and recently signed with Sojourn Records. His debut record Roots, will be released in 2015. Offor’s remarkable journey and music will inspire the dreamer in all of us. In his engaging presentations, he often discusses the transformative experience of his blindness and how he became who is today. He also speaks on his AfricanAmerican heritage and how his life was completely changed by his saving graces; music and education. In his most popular program, Offor performs his classic blend of enriching, comforting music with his signature charisma.

Speech Topics

Blessing Offor, African American

Due to necessity, Offor crossed an ocean as a young child and grew up in a completely different culture from the one he knew in Africa. Although he left Nigeria nearly 20 years ago, he still knows where he comes from. Offor is currently in production on a documentary about his extraordinary life; he hopes that the film will bring him back home for a very special performance in Nigeria. In this presentation, he discusses the importance of remaining true to oneself while maintaining cultural heritage and family ties.

Listen to the Music in You: Overcoming Adversity

For most people, life is challenging enough. For those afflicted with blindness, it’s a whole different universe. In this presentation, Offor speaks about his experience overcoming the hurdle that would be insurmountable for some. “While most eleven-year-olds were figuring out which basketball player they wanted to be when they grew up, I had to learn the true definition of who I was.” Offor considered his impairment an enhancement; his other senses were heightened when he lost his sight. During this talk, he reveals how he got through the toughest moments of his life, what he learned and how he flourished by focusing on music and education. Filled with stories of hope, your attendees will walk away feeling invigorated and inspired.

The Blessing of Education

Offor is a living testament to the tenacity of teaching. In Nigeria, his society wasn’t able to see past his partial blindness, as they assumed mental deficiencies always accompanied physical limitations. In America, Offor benefited from some teachers who supported him academically and musically. After testing into the gifted and talented track in NYC, Offor was accepted into an arts magnet school. He then went on to attended Belmont University in Nashville, where he learned from teachers such as Joe Wooten and other songwriting mentors. He considers himself quite lucky to have had the support of the educators who saw his potential, and now passes on his inspirational story in this uplifting talk.

An Evening with Blessing Offor

Sure to be a best-selling artist, Offor will wow your audience just like he did on television’s best music reality show, The Voice. His first performance on the show had Adam Levin, Pharrell Williams, Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton all clamoring to coach him. In this program, Offor will perform live and share what it was like being a contestant on The Voice. His charisma and rich music will make him the talk of the town, while his personal stories of rising above misfortune will inspire and warm the soul.

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