From Fela to Wizkid to Burna Boy,
from Sade Adu to Asa, from Daddy Shoki to Terry G to Naira Marley, the Nigerian music industry has brought out an eclectic array of talents. It’s no secret that if you have a catchy beat with sub-par lyrics, a good hook and good marketing you have a hit song and can make it big.
I’ve always liked to think that the collective musical palette of the country is highly simplistic and only but a few have a refined taste. For example, when Penalty by Small Doctor came out bruuuuuuhhhhhh, WE all went crazy and WE loved Free Madness so much that Terry G made three more parts of the song ( I still grind hard to that song ). If the industry was working as well as it should at that time, man would have made a ton of money but that’s a story for another day.
But the truth is just that, we love to jaiye. The enjoyment driven way of life is visibly felt with every hit song that hits the radio. No more so is that vibe felt than on Saturdays where the streets are coloured with asoebi’s, jollof rice is flowing, and on every corner, there's an owambe.
Just to quote the face of AfroBeats, Burna Boy “When the gbedu dey enter body, enter body All the gyal dem go shake their body, Dey go shake their body”
That’s sums up the ideology of the genre. That wave that rarely passed the shores of the African continent, has exploded into a Tsunami that is touching every part of the earth. It is so wide-reaching one can’t go clubbing or to a party without hearing any Photo Credit: @thechudy_
of these songs.
This is truly the era of Nigerian music and as the light shines bright on AfroBeats legends in the making, I'd love to shine the light on others who are exploring other genres of music and making awesome sounds.
JOHNNY DRILLE
(Folk, Alternative Rock)
The first person on this list is the man who's been looking for Efe for a while, the man who could serenade your boo and she'd fall more in love with you. He's Johnny Drill. I remember listening to his music for the first time and I was really surprised, It was like finding a diamond in the rough. In the midst of all the noise, calm folksy voice is bound to calm the noisiest of souls.
"The first time when I saw her
She looked beautiful but I no tell am
I just walked away
And now I'm dying hard to see her face"
-Finding Efe
Photo credit: @iamjinius_
CHIKE
(soul)
I think it takes a lot of guts to be a one-named artist. Why? Because you have to distinguish yourself from all the other people who have your name. and to me, he has done exactly that. From the start of his career with his first song "Beautiful People" to "Out of love," he's reminded us why we fell in love with him during The Voice Nigeria. I'm just waiting for Boo of the Booless to drop on Feb 14.
"Before I know, na so she say to me oh!
Oh Chike oh, this is hard for me to say
Am gonna say it anyway
I've fallen out of love with you"
-Out of love
Photo Credit: @OfficialChike
KAH-LO
(House Music)
KAH-LOOOOOOOO!!! She had to be my favourite part of 2019, once I listened to foreign Ororo, I was hooked. that was it. no questions asked. Since then, she's been dropping banger after banger. This was one genre of music I never thought I'd find Nigerian in and it was a pleasant surprise. Her whole mood is just infectious.
"Who has the sauce, we Who brings the ginger to the floor, me Who has the kids all hype Up to your mom and down to your wife
- Awa ni
Photo Credit: @thatkahlo
The Shirtless Guitar Boys
If you follow certain Nigerian Instagram accounts, these men need no introduction but if you haven't, they're very ab-Licious guys who play the guitar. They make beautiful instrumental versions of our favourite songs, feeding both our ears and eyes. They even take it a step further by creating their beautiful compositions that transport you to another world.
Photo Credit:@ricky_lace
BEZ IDAKULA
(Alternative soul)
In retrospect Beauty is coming your way should have been Bez's slogan before 2019 because mans been blessing us with his music since 2011. After "That stupid song" I thought he'd be a one-hit-wonder but I am glad he proved me wrong"
"Play that stupid song
from the days when we were young
Everybody sing along
Everybody say ooooohhhhh!!!"
-Stupid song
Photo Credit:@BezIdakula
DARE ART ALADE
At this point, Darey is an "Egbon" in the music industry. Over the years he's fused other genres to create his sound; some are hits, others not so much. But one thing I dig is is conversationalist approach to his lyrics. Ita almost as if he's talking to me personally than a random lady.
"And I said I know I could get lost I know I could get broken Forgive me, father But I got to take a chance "
- Pray for me
Photo Credit:@DareyDarey
KENNY K'ORE
I'm usually on the fence when it comes to gospel artists who do non-christian forms of music but when it comes to Kenny, I throw all doubts out the window. His fusion of both the traditional and the modern, in my book is always a win. He can never do any wrong.
"See my life don better,
see the shame don Waka They no go know say you don suffer,
dem go call you ajebutter
but you be real ajepako"
-I Believe
Photo Credit:@KoreKenny
DAYO BELLO
(Soul)
A while back, I found that my music playlist was stale and I hadn't added a new song in a while. So Spotify was like " Take a look at this playlist, you might like it " and in the midst of that I heard "Wait for you". I had this song on repeat before I realised that the person behind all that ear candy is Nigerian. I decided to take a look at his body of work, and I was not disappointed.
"For it will be over We'll only got closer We know, we know So let's live like forever Now we're together"
-I'll wait for you
Photo Credit:@DayoBello
Lindsay ABUDEI
(Neo-Soul, Alternative R&B)
Imagine taking a bite of freshly toasted bread, that has been thinly layered with beurre demi-sel and honey. The heat of the bread, mixing the saltiness of the butter and the sweetness of the honey. Every ingredient individually is basic but mixed is pure genius. That's the best way I can explain Lindsay music. Her voice, the instruments combined is soul comforting.
"This high has got me so undone Don't know where I'm going Maybe it's panic that has got me Can't keep denying"
- High Photo Credit:@misslind_sea
SPEED DARLINGTON
(Meme Music)
Don't @ me! LOL! Speed Darlington represents a genre of music that I like to call meme music. A genre where the songs are so bad that they're good, they have this je ne sais quoi that keeps us coming back for more. He has earned his rightful place beside artists like Right Said Fred etc..
"When I take a step, you hear Bang!
I take another step, you hear DangDang!!
I take another step, you hear BangDadaDang!!!
I'm not regular, I come through like..."
-Badadang
If you like yo know more about these artists or discover their songs, I've put together a playlist on Spotify. Click Here to Listen.
Listen, Enjoy and Share!!!
P.S: All Photo's not tagged belong to the incredible Chudy Ogobegwu.
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