With the year 2013 already in its ninth month, the Nigerian music industry has been bustling with different artistes making efforts to make their mark. As the established artistes are upping the ante and consolidating on their works in this dynamic industry that suffers no fools gladly, the upcoming ones have been studying the trend in the hip hop-dominated genre to emerge with one or two hit singles good enough to announce them. SAMUEL ABULUDE writes on some of those who are emerging as star artistes and sharing the spotlight with the current music stars
The Nigerian music industry witnessed a good number of artistes coming up with great hits in 2012. That was the year that announced the Kukere singer, Iyanya Imbuk, into prominence after a failed attempt of coming with a single with little acceptance from the public.
Davido came into the scene with his Damiduro hit video and won the Next Rated Award at the Hip hop Awards also and he has since consolidated with other great singles like Carolina, Better than, Gobe and his recent, Skelewu.
Flavour N’abania, having featured in Omawumi’s hit single, Bottom Belle, released his own Adanma and the recent Ada Ada video becoming a worthy ambassador of the high life genre. Olamide, an indigenous rapper, has bonded with the youths with good singles and his video, First of All, established him as a good rapper and he has been on a cruise control since releasing singles upon singles notably Durosoke.
Petite singer, Chidinma, smarting up from her triumph at the Project Fame season IV in 2011 released Kekedike and is now the toast of music fans with her other singles, Emi Ni Baller.
All these artistes, not forgetting Burna Boy, have passed the emerging star artistes mark. The following lists are artistes who have emerged into this category with hit singles or have released videos that have brought them to spotlight.
Seyi Shay
She is one of the Nigerian artistes who have been doing music abroad and have decided to stake her claim in the music scene. Having released Irawo and went ahead to do other singles, Seyi Shay is not doing badly in the music industry. The singer has serenaded music fans with her own brand of hip hop music laced with a dance which brought home her own style as an entertainer. Hardly will there be a major music event without Seyi Shay among the big artistes billed to perform. It can be said that Seyi, who was mentored by Beyonce’s father, Matthew Knowles, has mastered the business of doing music as revealed when she stepped up to perform the popular No Woman No Cry with Omawumi, Waje and Tiwa Savage who are said to be the top 3 female music stars at Omawumi’s Lasso of Truth album concert. Her new single, Killing Me Softly, featuring Timaya is not doing bad as well.
Sean Tizzle
He was formerly under the tutelage of successful star artiste, Sound Sultan, under the Naija Ninja label but nothing much was special about his music until he left the label under a somewhat controversial circumstance.
Then came his hip hop hit single, Sho Lee, which brought him from oblivion into reckon as far as the music scene is concerned. Sean Tizzle, with real name Seun Morinhafe, has become the toast of party lovers and music shows in Lagos and beyond.
According to entertainment expert, Akinyemi Ayinoluwa, obviously, Sean Tizzle who shares a resemblance with Davido is an emerging star artiste because of the hit song and the follow up single, Mama Eeehh. “Don’t forget that Sean Tizzle has had a good year traversing the length and breadth of Nigeria. He was in the United States and will be in the UK on October 6 as he’s billed to headline the cokobar carnival. Really, he has achieved much in less than eight months. He also has the wizardry of hit producer, D’tunes, to leverage on,” said Ayinoluwa appraising the artiste.
Dammy Krane
Riding under the shelter of Hypertek Records owned by the award winning singer, Tu Face Idibia, Dammy Krane is an artiste that has come of age. With his hit single, My Dear released in 2012 and Ligali, the artiste whose influence in Fuji music returns with the video for one of his three latest singles, Xteristics.
Dammy has done tracks with a couple of the industry big names and also A-list producers which should have made him to enjoy a greater patronage in the music scene. He is known for his melodic voice, engaging lyrics and exciting genre of alternative music.
Phyno
He is one of the newest rappers from the south eastern region (Enugu) who has shared the spotlight with established artistes in 2013. Phyno, known to adorn a weird hair style, commands hard hitting lyrics, grit and swag to his music and he was one of the artistes who have toured the cities with other bigger artistes in the just concluded Star Trek Jam.
His hit single, Ghost Mode, has been given critical acclaim same with his Man of the Year (Obago) video though it was reported to have been banned this week by the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission, NBC, along with Wizkid’s The Matter.
The slim built street music-centred rapper has featured in numerous collabos. He attributes the influence on the rap music of MI and Mr Raw formerly known as Nigga raw who gave him an entry into the industry.
Ketchup
This artiste burst into the scene with his dance hall hit single, Show Me Yuh Rozay, and since then, his career seems to have been on roller coaster ride.
Ketchup, with the real name Emmanuel Nkemjika Onyido, released his official single, Nuvo, in 2010 and it was said to have bagged an award at the Malaysian AEA Music Awards having studied Mass Communications at Atlantic College, KL in Malaysia.
He released the club banger after his return to Nigeria in 2012 and followed it up with the chart-topping video and this has announced him as an emerging star artiste.
Emma Nyra
She is acclaimed to be the first lady of Iyanya music label, MMMG, and this platform ensured the pretty singer from Delta State benefitted from the rise in his boss’s music career. She featured with Iyanya Imbuk in the Your Waist hit song.
Emma Nyra, formerly based in Texas, US, describes herself as a southern belle with a Nigerian twang. She’s gone ahead to release her own singles, Everything I Do ft. Iyanya and Ori Mi Wu both produced by the mastermind behind Kukere, D’Tunes. Her recent video is Kere Shere. Though her debut album, Emma Nyra Hot Like Fiya Vol. 1, is in the works, it is much to be seen whether Emma will add her musical success to her sexy look; something she has going for her.
Shaydee
He has been under the shadow of his Empire Mates Entertainment (EME) label mates, Wizkid and Skales for a while. Many had wondered when Shaydee, the third singer of the five-man label rated the best group by Hip hop Awards 2012, will thrive on a musical work of his own.
Now Shaydee has just hit it off having learnt under his boss, Banky W. His new R&B single, O Poju, is a testament that the baby faced singer born 1987 in Kano State as Shadrack Adeboye can hold his own.
To add credence to the fact that he can also have his space in the R&B genre, the song which is his official single has been rated as that with potential of a hit single. The blooming EME act apart from other group songs has released Gbadun Your Parol featuring Banky W and Skales.
A comment from music observer says, “O Poju is as smooth a track as it gets. The kid delivers in his own unique way. His vocals, lyrics, delivery and overall music-making ability are of the highest level when it comes to the Nigerian music scene. Shaydee is destined for the top.
Mr 2kay
Abinye David Jumbo also known as Mr 2kay is gaining prominence in the Nigerian music scene after successfully making a national hit with the tracks, Bubugaga and Oga DJ.
He is a Port Harcourt based artiste having grown up in the violent regions of the oil city. This experience made 2kay to start writing music from a very early age.
Mr 2kay had to struggle for his break in the music industry. Now the newest artiste on the Grafton Streetz label is set to consolidate.
Already Mr 2kay has made an official UK remix of Bubugaga featuring the afro pop songstress, May 7ven, and young UK afro pop artiste, Moelogo.
Other artistes
Depending on one’s parameter of who an emerging star artiste is, musicians like Ajebutter 22, Yemi Alade, Phenom and many others deserve to be on this list. Also according to a music expert, a popular song is what signposts an artiste to relevance and so any musician who has not released a hit single or chart-topping video does not deserve to be an emerging star artiste as there is a long list of young and energetic upcoming artistes in the Nigerian music scene.
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