10 Nigerian Artists To Watch (2020 Edition)

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Tems

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Arriving in Lagos, Nigeria last year for The Gidi Culture Fest, we were greeted by a life-size Burna Boy poster, the ‘African Giant’ a smiling, tacit reminder of the role musicians hold as modern-day ambassadors for their countries and regions.

With yearly foreign remittances (money sent back from the diaspora) now calculated as exceeding even the country’s petroleum revenues, evidence suggests that Nigeria’s premier export is indeed its people—its broadly talented, dynamic, expanding base of people. And, as Africa’s central base for the music and film industries, Nigeria’s pace-setting status has seen a boom, in line with the continent’s rise in social connectivity and online presence. 

In Lagos, where the “steady risers” spring to headline acts quicker than almost anywhere else in the world, the recent success of musicians like Teni The Entertainer, Zlatan, Rema, Odunsi and Santi serve to highlight the current temperature for new artists in the country. On the night she headlineD Gidi Culture Fest, Teni The Entertainer told us, “Lagos is the hub.” Charting her rapid rise and experiencing the climate that made it possible, it’s also becoming clear that many more are set to follow in her footsteps. 

Here are 10 Nigerian artists to watch this year and beyond.


 

Tems

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Tems piercing soul vocal instantly won over hearts on the Next Gen stage at last year’s Gidi Fest. Treating fans to a special acoustic rendition of her catalogue, Bizzle Osikoya—the co-founder of African music hub Plug Entertainment—recalls hearing Tems’ voice and instantly falling in love. “Try Me”, Tems’ most recent drop, is setting her up for greatness having passed the one million mark on YouTube. Watch on as her stock rises.

Joeboy

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It’s often said that a co-sign from a big artist is the quickest route to radio in Nigeria, and in many cases—even as the landscape shifts—this is still considered the case. For Lagos State singer Joeboy, the first graduate of Mr Eazi’s brilliant emPawa Africa initiative, it was just the spark he needed. Discovered by the singer-turned-exec via an online cover of Ed Sheeran’s “Shape Of You”, Joeboy’s breakout single “Baby” spread almost instantly, topping Apple Music’s streaming charts in Nigeria, Uganda and Zimbabwe along the way. Joeboy’s R&B-tinged Afro-pop is about to take over.

Lady Donli

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Arriving on the scene with the Alté wave, Lady Donli continues to develop at pace. With a free-thinking core, a wide lens on society and a soul-heavy sound, her debut album, Enjoy Your Life, retooled hallmark Nigerian sounds, which—in her own words—was “a manifestation of growth.” Something tells us 2020 is her year. 

Oxlade

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Ikuforiji Abdulrahman Olaitan—better known as Oxlade—had a pretty great 2019. Describing his style as “Afro-fusion”, Oxlade pulled up on the UK last November for a round of cultural exchange, performing at DJ Tunez’s Blackout London show and later alongside London rappers Skengdo, AM and Sneakbo on the track “Brixton Boy”. And we can’t forget what Oxlade’s smooth, soaring vocals did on Blaqbonez’s “Mamiwota”. Expect to hear and see lots more of him in 2020.

Fireboy DML

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From Wande Coal to Wizkid, Fireboy DML has received the stamp of approval from a line-up of the industry’s major players. Powered by the infectious Afro-pop heater “Jealous”, Fireboy signed to the YBNL stable of Nigerian star Olamide soon after, managing to raise the bar higher in 2019. Fireboy’s debut LP, Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps, showed his innate grasp of melody and West African percussion, resulting in a neat collection of expansive love songs. Get to know.

1da Banton

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Hailing from the southern city of Port Harcourt, 1da Banton’s mid-tempo blend of Afrobeats, reggae and dancehall is catching on daily. Early hits “African Woman” and “Jowo” sent his star rising, helping him to catch another one more recently in “Whine Fi Mi”. Tapping dancehall king Kranium for the song, there’s no doubt it’s still doing the rounds in dance-halls across the globe.

Jinmi Abduls

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Fusing traditional Yoruba sounds with his gospel-R&B vocal, Lagos singer-songwriter Jinmi Abduls is about to show us what’s really good in 2020. Shining with Manchester rapper Tobi Sunmola on BankyOnDBeatz’s “Omoluabi”, there are plenty more gems—such as “Abena” and “Blessed”—just waiting to be discovered. It’s only a matter of time.

Somadina

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Splitting her time in between Lagos and the UK (she studies at a Midlands university), Somadina is still managing to make her mark in music. Breakup song “IHY” was a great introduction—a slice of bold R&B-pop that helped earmark the teen singer’s potential. Forthcoming project Five Stages, a loose concept EP centred around the stages of grief, is set to shake up the industry at large. 

PsychoYP

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It’s early days for Abuja rapper PsychoYP, but backed by a steady work-rate and a handful of strong releases under his belt, he’s another name worth your time. PsychoYP’s YPSZN2 project dropped at the end of last year, and it was an interesting mix-n-blend of Afro-fusion, rap and trap sounds. If you’re after something a bit more wavey, then look no further than PsychoYP. 

Oladapo

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Oladapo Tonade’s 2019 single, “Gbe Gbodi”—with it’s syrupy-sweet vocal and striking, candid visual—should be enough to turn you into a believer. If it’s not enough, he also lists Fela, Burna Boy and Lagbaja amongst his major influences, and even pays homage to the latter’s cult-hit “Konko Below” on debut single “ManGo”. Oladapo is destined for greatness.

 

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