For many, this moment was always going to arrive for Nigerian music, the day when we would no longer need tags like "For an African artist" to qualify a new win; we would compete with parity against music from anywhere in the world. And for a tiny subset of these believers, it was always going to be Rema at the forefront of the vanguard effecting this cultural revolution for Nigeria. For the artist, born Divine Ikubor, has always borne a mark of divinity.

After catching the eye of D’prince, CEO of Jonzing record label, via a cover of his song, "Gucci Gang" that he posted on Instagram, the Benin-based singer got an invite to come to Lagos for a proper audition, after which he was signed to Jonzing, a Mavin record affiliate. At the age of 19 he made his entry via a self-named EP, a Mavin tradition, that highlighted in only four songs what Rema was set to bring to the industry. His euphonious vocals were for many the biggest and most prognostic highlight, but they masked other crucial aspects of his artistry—the depth of emotion he channels on "Why", and his dexterity in balancing this beside the fast-spinning Afropop bangers, "Dumebi" and "Iron Man".

A few months later, he made his reprisal, but in a new apparel—Trap music. His Rema Freestyle EP projected speedy delivery, snappy trap beats and rhymes about money, as Rema displayed another aspect of his artistry. Most noticeable was his sparsity of romantic themes on the new project, the substance with which he propped up his earlier effort. His third project, Bad Commando, found the balance between these two extremes, placing confident statements of self-aggrandisation (Dem know say I be bad commando”, he sings on Bad Commando) side by side with affecting professions of infatuation (The moment I see you na up NEPA, he begins on “Lady”), while he switches between Trap and Pop on the production side of things.

Releasing this project meant it was a very busy debut year for the singer, and at the 13th edition of the Headies he was awarded the Next Rated award—earmarking him as the next big star. In January he picked up a similar plaque at the Soundcity MVP Awards, and together with his City People Award for Revelation Of The Year, these plaques underscored how outstanding his debut year was. In 2020, though, it was time for the next stage of music release strategy, and this time he worked by releasing singles, as he tried to establish his sound as a balance of his Afropop, Trap and Arabian music origins. His first effort of the year was the two single pack of "Rainbow" and "Beamer", and the latter was the significantly more successful song, featuring Jamaican producer Rvssian who incorporated traces of the Dancehall genre.

These songs, along with his June release, "Alien", were drawn chiefly from the Trap corner of his artistry, but to properly dominate a country like Nigerian, he would need to create for a dance-loving audience, and with his next two singles, the melodious, groovy "Ginger Me" and the explosive "Woman", he sought to do exactly that. With the latter, Rema’s material also took on a sultry turn—“I too like woman, me I no dey gboran”—that he reprised with his next single, the Don Jazzy–produced "Bounce". Already Rema’s profile was growing exponentially on a national level as he sought inroads into the global market.

2022, for Rema, was the time to crystallise this three-year dominance in Nigeria's industry into a recognisable global profile. He released "Calm Down" in February, melding Afropop, Arabian and Dancehall influences for a track that was still authentically Nigerian—"Girl you sweet like Fanta", he says, reworking a popular Nigerian children's rhyme into a missive of playful adulation—and yet lent itself to foreign acceptance. To advance its entry into foreign markets, a stroke of collaborative genius brought a Selena Gomez remix, pouring fuel into the fire of the song's momentum so that it sauntered into the next gear of its worldwide ascent. With this remix has come multiple broken records, a couple of awards (including one for Rema as Headies Best Male Artist), and certifications that continue to roll in by the day.

As Rema continues to break new grounds both historically and geographically,—as in his recently-completed Indian tour—the next sets of doubts will centre around whether he can extend this fame beyond "Calm Down", and insert himself properly in world stardom. But that should be no problem. A combination of his astute singing talent, evocative writing and undeniable star power should ensure Rema fulfils his promise as prince of Nigerian music.

This article was written by Afrobeats City Contributor Ezema Patrick - @ezemapatrick (Twitter)

After a single song released under the label, "So Lovely" in late 2020, Buju parted with spaceship records after a year, choosing not to renew his contract. But his upward trajectory remained unhalted. In mid 2021 he was called up by Ladipoe for "Feeling", where Buju was charged with providing a sunny, falsetto-infused backdrop to the rapper's faster-paced hip-hop verses. It is a tried and true formula, and Bnxn's execution is near-flawless. His chorus, a depiction of a guy unbothered by stress and basking in a worry-free reality, rang from the lips of Nigerian youth as the unofficial song of the summer of 2021.

On "Outside", released in mid-2021, the crooner chose this time to delve into his work ethic and commitment to his craft as he sang about how he prioritises the work of creating new music over fun-seeking outings. He also took a moment to dwell briefly on his journey here, on the first verse, "Omo in the first stage, I made mistakes I swear". The slower pace and gentler tone of the song were evidently well appreciated, as "Outside" was a fixture on the top 10 of the different Nigerian streaming charts for weeks to come.

In late 2021, it was time for a debut EP, which Bnxn named Sorry I'm Late, with its title acknowledging his delay in releasing a debut project, which was indeed strange for a time when rising acts capitalise on their growing popularity by releasing an EP. What came as no shock, however, was the high level of confidence and talent on display. By naming the opener after himself, BNXN made a statement of self-assuredness and revealed an intent to make his mark on the music world. Lines like "You know my sound is on fire/ You know my melody on fire" may read as unnecessary braggadocio to a new listener, but day 1 fans are well acquainted with the dexterity of his songwriting and quality of his delivery—his melody really is on fire. The EP was altogether a resounding success and represented another milestone passed in the young singer's career.

While Sorry I'm Late cemented his place in Nigeria's mainstream, it was two features that arrived on both sides of it that brought the most momentum to his international career. First was "Mood", on Wizkid’s Grammy-nominated Made In Lagos, where the two produced a flawless collaboration, taking turns to glide on P2J's mellow percussion. Its mellow groove and slinky vocal duet drew parallels with "Essence", the Tems-featuring smash from the standard version of Made In Lagos, and while it didn't quit achieve those chart-topping heights, it became Bnxn's biggest international effort. That was until "Finesse", where Bnxn starred beside music producer turned music star, Pheelz, for the track that proved transcendental to their individual careers, establishing Pheelz's new status as an artist and providing thrust to Bnxn's international flight.

The song initially made waves as a viral tiktok snippet was eventually released in mid-March following a massive clamour from fans, and it wasted no time climbing up the charts, peaking at no 1 on the UK's official Afrobeats charts, with appearances on UK official charts proper and the novel Billboard Afrobeats chart. It was released barely two weeks after Buju officially became Bnxn, so it was an exquisite way of stamping his new identity. Another collaboration later in the year, this time with UK based producer JAE5 and rapper Dave for "Propeller", helped strengthen inroads to the UK scene.

As these songs pushed Bnxn's international profile, his position at home was similarly growing. In May 2022, the Headies, Nigeria's premier music award, announced its nominees for the year's honours and Bnxn got a nomination for the Next Rated category, awarded to the emerging artist who shows the biggest potential to place amongst Nigeria's biggest acts in the near future. Bnxn received a nod after the amazing year he had, but he was placed alongside Ayra Starr, Ruger, Lojay and Zinoleesky, all of whom had made excellent use of the year under review. With the Headies announcing that the winner would emerge with a brand new Bentley Bentayga, it added fuel to what was already a heated competition.

Bnxn would eventually emerge the winner of this tight contest, and a week before the ceremony, he provided even more proof of why no one was more deserving. This came in his second studio EP, Bad Since '97. Here Bnxn built on the themes of his debut—his unwavering belief in himself and his music talent—with his writing and exquisite vocal delivery once more providing both the vehicle and for this substantiation of his self-confidence.

On his latest album, Sincerely, Benson, released earlier this month, Bnxn reiterated all of this self-belief, fulfilling the promise he has displayed all of his career. On the 15-track LP, Bnxn chronicles love and heartbreak, but approaches this subject from a mature, not often seen perspective: as the man making a sincere apology to the woman he loved and hurt. Songs like "Pidgin And English", "Regret", "Sweet Tea" and "Realize" tie into this narrative, yet Bnxn finds room for his characteristic cockiness: his very first words on the album are "Leave am for me/ Emi lokan", warding off the competition and propping himself up as a maestro in the music space.

As Bnxn continues to soar, old promises of potential become fulfilled even as he forebodes more to come. His next goal would be to establish his name indelibly in international markets, but If his four years in the industry thus far have shown us anything, it is that the next step always comes just as surely as the last for Bnxn.

This article was written by Afrobeats City Contributor Ezema Patrick - @ezemapatrick (Twitter)

Nigeria's first introduction to the artist, however, was through his creative work as a photo editor. Prior to the release of “Sade” in December 2015, Gold had been given the title of 'King of Photoshop' for his creative editing of his images on pictures of actress Tonto Dike, OAP, Toolz and especially afrobeats queen, Tiwa Savage. A young Adekunle Gold had finished school with a diploma in Arts and Industrial Design and was putting his degree to good use, doing graphic design work for a number of YBNL artists, including Viktoh, Lil Kesh and even street-pop legend Olamide.

In 2014, Adekunle Gold released “Sade”, a cover of One direction's “Story of my Life”, and based upon a real life Sade who had turned his affections down. As the song gained ground, Pheelz, YBNL's in-house producer, saw there was more To Adekunle Gold's creativity than visual arts, and after conversations with label huncho, Olamide, Adekunle Gold was unveiled as a YBNL artist in March 2015. Then, he got a chance at a proper debut single, and "Orente" was born; a folksy Yoruba-supported love ballad, featuring distinct Yoruba instrumentation, which would grow to become his signature style. He followed this up with “Pick up”, which amped up production for a Juju-influenced song that would be an excellent fit for a live band.

All these built up to the release of his first studio album in July 2016, Gold that featured successes such as "Work", "Ariwo Ko", and another all time classic, "No forget", a duet with Simi, a friend and fellow artist who had previously mixed and mastered songs for him. His debut album was a critically acclaimed success, peaking at no. 7 on the Billboard World Album Chart.

His next studio album, About 30, was released in 2018 after exchanging amicable farewells with YBNL. He assembled a team of instrumentalists into a live band, named the 79th Element (Gold), and headed by Michael Bakare. As a result the album drew chiefly from his unique upbeat trad-style music which he christened Urban Highlife, and it housed a number of memorable songs like the energetic "Money", the evocative "Ire" and the sombre "Fame".

Until 2019 Adekunle Gold had operated firmly within the boundaries of his self-styled Afro Urban genre, where live instruments could meet with intoned delivery to channel some of the essence of Yoruba Juju music in a more modern setting. For the next step, though, it was time for an artistic refresh, and to achieve it, he will have to sacrifice some of his folksy essence for better mainstream appeal. And so he braided his boyish afro into a macho cornrow, while he discarded the Adire shirts for brightly coloured jackets and flowing kimonos, left unbuttoned to show his new buff physique, completing his look with tinted glasses and loose fitting pants. His switch in music was a lot less acute. For "Before You Wake Up", his first solo single of 2019, he maintained a similar delivery but production was different, employing more studio-made Afrobeats rather than the live drums and keys he was more popular with. Also subtle was his use of English and Pidgin for the entirety of the single, in the past Adekunle Gold had relied chiefly on Yoruba.

It was in 2020 that he properly donned the artistic personality he would take for his next era. First came "Jore", a duet with Kizz Daniel that leaned into Kizz's brand of casual afropop that was backed by catchy lyrics and a flowing beat. Then he released "Something Different", which was as it was named, a continual of the sonic detour he was making towards the mainstream. In mid 2020, “AG Baby" was released, the manifesto for his artistic vision; on the track he alludes to being the "street boy popping on the mainstream shit". “AG Baby’ was homonymous with his new persona, and on his next album, “Afro-Pop Vol. 1”, he delved properly into who he was now and what to expect of him. A song like “Okay” handled this orientation nicely, as he spun the mid-tempo pop groove into a song deriding his haters.

While AG Baby was morphing into the popstar, Adekunle Gold was settling into family life. His marriage to Simi was for many a bolt from the blue, but insiders into the couple’s lives knew they had been an item even before either of them made their debuts in the industry. Simi had produced, as well as mixed and mastered a chunk of Adekunle Gold’s Gold album, and Adekunle has gone on record to credit her with helping him find his music style. The pair had collaborated across a number of tracks over the years, each time bringing amazing chemistry that most fans did not know was the product of real life love they shared. On January 17th they released “Promise”, a tribute to their new union and the first official announcement of it. A little over a year later, in May 2021, “Happy Birthday”was released; a love letter to their daughter, Adejare on her first birthday.

2021 also saw him release three successful singles that would appear on his next album, “Catch me if You Can”, “Sinner” and “It Is What It Is” followed the laid back, less-is-more delivery of his newly perfected style. But “High”, featuring industry heavyweight Davido, was a different dish altogether; an Amapiano heavy hit, foreshadowing another shedding, or perhaps more accurately, an extra layering of personality that would lead AG Baby to give way to Tio Tequila. The lover boy Adekunle who had withstood the transition from Adekunle Gold to AG Baby evolved to another man for whom “Love is not enough”.

His latest project, Tequila Ever After, is named after this new persona, and here he slows down his Afropop cadences to take in parts of Dancehall and RnB. By far his biggest project, Adekunle Gold assembled RnB megastars like Pharrell Williams and Khalid as well as budding Nigerian street stars like Zinoleesky and Odumodublvck. He has already hit the charts with two singles, “Ogaranya” and “Party No Dey Stop”, so he will be hopeful others can quickly follow suit. More importantly, though, he will hope his new project, and the persona he introduces with it, can significantly advance his global intentions. Adekunle Gold has described his latest project as a celebration of his wins so far.

With a solid discography encompassing five successful projects, a recently bagged contract with an international label in Def Jam Records and a career about to reach the 10 year mark, a celebration is much needed and well deserved. As the artist readies himself to consolidate his position in the Nigerian market and expand his wings even further beyond the shores of the country, he can take a shot of Tequila and toast to his wins so far, because it only gets better from here.

This article was written by Afrobeats City Contributor Ezema Patrick - @ezemapatrick (Twitter)

This drive, like the flip side of a coin, is also his weakness. In 2014, a year after his debut album had established a place for him in the industry, cracks began to appear in his lean, mean team. The first of these would come in July, when he appeared to relieve his mother of her managerial duties via a now-deleted twitter post, in which he infamously announced it was time to "let my mother be my mother and let my manager be my manager". Bose Ogulu would come out a few days later and attempt to throw some clarity to this statement, but while that episode was still playing out, word came out that he had left Aristokrat Records, the imprint under which he had released all previous music. That turned out to have been a mutual separation following contract expiration and non-renewal, but it effectively meant he would have to record his album without his mother-manager, Aristokrat Records or LeriQ, its in-house producer. 

The result was about as bad as could be expected. Burna Boy had a rough 2015, most of it self-inflicted, so that at the time of the release of On A Spaceship, he had managed to threaten the media, exchange words with fellow artists, and berate award shows, and for anyone who had missed any of his shenanigans, he made the baffling decision of taping an interview of a journalist outlining his flaws and making it his album intro. That, save for the brooding, Fela-inspired album closer, "Soke", was the most exciting point of the album, the rest of which placed somewhere between forgettable and unoriginal. In the end it was clear that On A Spaceship, and the decisions that led to it, was a big misstep for Burna. 

He would then spend 2016 reversing the wrong decisions that had brought him here. He mended fences with Aristokrat Records and was once more back with LeriQ, and though he would still release future music under the self-owned Spaceship Records, he could receive A&R guidance from his former label. Less than a year after On A Spaceship, he released Redemption, an EP celebrating not just these healed rifts but his re-entry to the UK, 5 years after he had received a ban for illegal activity. Redemption was also the earliest attempt to ‘westernise’ his sound, as he and LeriQ slid even deeper into his low-tempo grooves, emerging with a grinding dancehall joint like album opener, "Pree Me". 

Redemption was not the instant return to top form that he might have envisaged, as it struggled to both reaffirm his national position and establish a foreign one in only 7 songs, but he was clearly making steps in the right direction. It would take two more years of work and creativity, and a return to Bose Ogulu as manager, for them to pay off, and this happened with his next album, Outside. It was named for Burna’s desire to stretch his influence beyond Nigerian and African borders, but it excels for his abilities to tie these diasporan visions to an African identity, a hurdle that Wizkid’s Sounds From The Other Side, also sharing this world-conquering vision, could not clear. In many ways, Outside was the birth of the Burna Boy’s superstardom: it was the perfection of the self-styled Afrofusion, where samples of Fela Kuti’s “Sorrow Tears And Blood” on “Ye” sit beside EDM on the titular track which sits beside the patois-dripping, ragga-influenced “Sekkle Down” which sits beside the ethereal, chest-thumping “Heaven’s Gate.” Burna Boy, the conductor of this mix, not only makes it work, but achieves cohesion in a way only he can. 

The album also housed the sleeper hit “Ye”, which, with a tinge of luck supplied by publicity brought by the homonymous Kanye West album, took off for what was his first global hit. Outside was also the first lap of a three-year, three-album spell in which he asserted himself incontrovertibly in global conversations. African Giant, which came next in 2019, was fueled by the same Afrofusion cocktail, and with the album (and the circumstances surrounding its name) he introduced the world to his grandiloquence and the talent that inspired it, before 2020’s Twice As Tall clinched for him a much-coveted Grammy and brought to a fine conclusion his intercontinental dominance arc.

With last year’s Love, Damini released in his new status as a bonafide global superstar, and then becoming his most-streamed project, Burna Boy has now all but completed what ambitions must have spurred his entry into music in the first place: A host of major awards in the bag, unforgettable performances at some of the most iconic locations in the world, a teeming fanbase more than ready to draw arms in defence of his  (many) gaffes. Knowing Burna, you would still not expect him to be satisfied. 

With great talent sometimes comes an outsized desire to make it known to as many people as possible, and an ever-throbbing impulse that tells you you can do even more. Burna crams all of this triumphant euphoria into his latest single, “Sittin’ On Top Of The World," and while it marks some deviation from his patented Afrofusion, we can rest assured that Burna’s plans for his next album and era will embody every bit of the excellence he has exuded at every stage of his storied career thus far.

This article was written by Afrobeats City Contributor Ezema Patrick - @ezemapatrick (Twitter)

'Crazy Tings' are happening for her right now, but her music journey began in the most modest way. "Mr rebel", her first ever single, was a child of resolve and ingenuity. Unable to hire producers good enough to make her sound like she wanted to be heard, yet affordable enough to fit into her tiny budget as an independent act, she took to learning production herself from DIY videos on YouTube. And this, the first fruit of her determination is a breezy, mellow RnB affair In which she affirms confidence in her abilities (I’m the sound on the ground, I'm the winning sound/ I'm the crown, I'm the vibe) while searching for and desiring to take care of a mysterious "Mr Rebel". She quit a promising career in marketing to focus on music, so the wisdom of her decision hinged on the success of this first single. With it she earned a small but dedicated following. If "Mr Rebel" was the laid-back wistful longing for a special person, "Try Me", Temilade's breakout single had her sit up to take charge of her emotions as she outgrew her fears and celebrated freedom in a tune that may sound African, Western and Jamaican without firmly belonging to any category. "You wanna lock me away, I'm winning/ You wanna add to my pain, I'm shining" she asserts on the bridge, with the confidence of a voice that knows just how good it sounds.

Her ascent since this single has been a blur. Seeking to build on the attention her singles had gathered, and to provide a body of work for the satisfaction of her eager, newly-gathered fans, she released For Broken Ears in September 2020. With 7 tracks, it sits at the intersection between album and extended play, and while it's exact identity may be up in the air, there's no doubt as to the themes she intends to highlight on this debut project. "Damages", the single released first to rally support for it, sees her heal from scars and promptly end a relationship that no longer measures to her standards. It's classic Tems, her big voice towered only by her bigger attitude, and these two features remain a constant for most of the album.

On the 23rd of February, 2020, Afrobeats chieftain, Wizkid took to his Twitter account to announce "Tems and I created magic", a tweet that is now recognized in fan circles as the very first chapter in the story of essence, the smash from his Grammy nominated Made In Lagos. The track itself arrived eight months after, and it was a savory affair, Tems is transformed into the luscious sweetheart we rarely ever get to see as she trades lines of love and longing with a pleasant Wizkid, who is right at home in a song like this. Throw in delicate R&B production with traces of Caribbean and Afropop elements, and it's no wonder it was the fuel for so many evening grooves as one of the songs of the summer of 2021, proving irresistible for even Justin Bieber, who simply had to jump on it's remix. His countryman, Drake, responded to the success of this single by immediately tapping up Tems to feature on "Fountains", a track off Certified Lover Boy that was the next milestone passed in Tems' journey. It's slow-burning afropop production, breezy beachside vibes and of course, Tems powerful, sultry delivery are lines that can be drawn between the two songs.

Off the back of intercontinental success, her latest EP, If Orange Was A Place, arrived to a much larger reception than her earlier effort. And while a wider audience must be the desire of every creative, greater publicity brings with it closer scrutiny, a more critical look and mounting pressure to keep fans it took so much effort to gather. But if any of these fears plagued Tems in the production of this extended play, it definitely doesn't reflect on its quality or focus as she's been able to produce a work that is just as good as her debut. She stuck to her guns entirely, choosing to double down on all the features that brought her to limelight in the first place while her happier and more balanced mentality reflects in her songwriting.

Her most recent appearance is on Future's "I NEVER LIKED YOU". She's not given much to do here, her contribution is a sample of Higher, off her first album. But what was the most intimate spot on "For Broken Ears" is made into the foil to Future's slurry delivery and Drake's snappier lines on "Wait For You" and it's a rivetting success. The song's especially warm reception speaks to her rising star power in the stateside market, almost as much it does to the rap duo's massive pull.

The sky is the limit now for Temilade. She's established her talent and then reiterated it with successive, successful EPs, and with a feature from Wizkid and advise from Rihanna already in the bag ahead of the album that's expected to arrive this year, it is safe to assume  2022 will be an even better year for Afrobeats' new darling.

Her first single posed to dispel these doubts, as the exuberant "Kele Kele Love" put silky, heartstrung writing into Afropop's percussion driven soundscape, so while her vocals and writing were evocative of more exotic locations and their influence, her use of pidgin and yoruba pulled the track closer to home. Its reception was rapturous, and love for Tiwa and her debut single poured in from across Nigeria. With "Love Me, Love Me, Love Me", she sought a recreation of this impact, and she achieved it by sticking to many aspects of the original that had made it so accepted. So as a rejection of half-hearted commitment from a partner morphed into a plea for more affection from a lover, form slightly while the substance of passion-laden pop remained unaltered.

Up until this time, while song performances were fast shifting her status from newcomer to Afropop queen, a lot was still left to be done on the management side of things before she could ascend this throne. Her management in 2011 was split between 323 entertainment (co-owned with her husband) and the Cecil Hammond–owned Flytime Promotion, but for the next big step, she would need the backing of a larger label, and we now know Don Jazzy's Mavins would provide this stepping stone. But before that label update came, the pair first linked up on Tiwa's "Without My Heart", her last single of a very packed, wildly successful debut year. For the December release she dived even deeper into her feelings, and returned with what was her most tender side yet. Her partner was an even more important part of the song, and although 'artist' is the least used of Don Jazzy's many titles, he sported enough chemistry with Tiwa to soften the surprise when he eventually picked her up for his newly formed Supreme Mavin Dynasty (or Mavins) the following year.

At Mavins, Tiwa joined forces with Don Jazzy himself, Dr. Sid, D'prince and Wande Coal. All male artists with a lot more years spent in the field, but if she was at all intimidated, she did not show it. She was, after all, two years into her time in a male dominated industry, and even that had not put a stop to her meteoric rise. Her first contribution as a Mavin artist, and indeed the first release from any new member of the label, was the group album, Solar Plexus. The LP debuted to mixed reviews, with many faulting the little time taken to prepare it, and while it couldn't rise beyond its weaknesses, Tiwa Savage was an  obvious bright spark on the Solar Plexus, and a sign that she bore a lot of potential ready to be tapped by Mavins.

Her solo album, Once Upon A Time, brought this to fulfilment in 2013; it was an especially strong debut indulgent in the electric, sugary pop she had made her forté. And despite demand and supply having decide this to be the safest and most rewarding soundscape to operate in, she for made room too, for a Rihanna-sequel reggaeton take on crime and murder ("Wanted") and Yoruba RnB musings on loss and grief ("Olorun MI"), and performances like these helped embellish what was already a superb love-laced debut.

But it was not exactly smooth sailing for the singer, especially against the currents of a patriarchal society keen to police womens bodies—where an audience comfortable with male artists using female vixens for their videos throw a fit when women take control of their sexuality in similar scenes. So while religious and cultural discussions were thrown up, discerning eyes always knew these reactions to be of purely misogynistic origins.

While whispers of indecency had hung in the air after the release of "Kele Kele Love" and "Love Me" videos, these did not coalesce to become popular controversy until "Wanted" made its video debut in 2014. Tiwa Savage was the sole star there, turning out in a nude bodysuit that only obscured her most private areas, and as she spent the video's 3-and-a-half minute runtime dancing lasciviously in a performance that was delivered with every intention to seduce, reactions to the video's debut were predictably sexist. Most commenters cycled through the expected tropes—comparing her to a sex worker, branding her Un-african, and, of course, throwing her marriage in her face like it was some slave contract. But Tiwa was unfazed. She might not have had her coming-of-age in the country, but she knew enough of Nigeria's close minded hypocrisy to have anticipated such a response, and she was happy to accentuate an underreported ill many women still suffer.

Her personal life would come to the fore again in an even more prominent way in 2016, when cracks first began to appear in her marriage to Tunji Balogun, her husband of two years and business partner of longer. In a messy episode first started by Tunde on Instagram before Tiwa responded 24 hours later via a Thisday interview, the couple took turns hurling accusations of infidelity, financial impropriety and even witchcraft at each other. They held things together for a further two years, probably out of consideration to the child and record label they shared, but a permanent split was thought to have been effected sometime in 2018.

Back in the studio she continued in spotless form. She released her sophomore album, R. E. D., in 2015, and its title—Romance, Expression, Dance—was a fine summation. The album saw Tiwa Savage glide through a more diverse soundscape, but one that was always kept danceable and sexy. Her improved status in the industry was represented in its features, as she was able to call on names like 2face, Wizkid and P Square (for the deluxe) to great results, allowing Don Jazzy some rest as he only had a single contribution to make this time around.

Her love and adeptness for finding and executing the right collaborations must not go without mention. Her passionate delivery makes her the perfect foil for romantic anthems, and it ensured early in her career that she was kept busy trading lines with male artists like Flavour ("Oyi" remix), Patoranking ("Girlie O" remix), Wizkid ("Bad"), Sean Tizzle (Igi Orombo), Kizz Daniel ("Woju" remix) and more. With these, she leveraged on the popularity of (then) bigger stars, smartly helping to raise her own profile in a male-centric industry, and providing substance to her claim to Nigerian pop's queenship.

After the success of 2020's Celia, the buoyant, socially-aware album named after her mother, her most recent project, 2021's Water And Garri allowed her to collaborate more with female artists as well, a decision that came to pay off heavily when Somebody's Son (ft. Brandy) came to national fame. The EP also carried another female vocalist, Amaarae, the Ghanaian songstress whose effort on "SAD GIRLS LUV MONEY" had placed her in the frontlines of the Afrobeats to the world movement. And even now that her position in Nigerian music is incontestable, Tiwa Savage continues to find tracks on which she can keep up with emerging sounds and artists of the industry. She collaborated with Asake for "Loaded', a single that capped a perfect 2022 for the Street Pop act and allowed Tiwa an entry into the Fuji-Amapiano zone he operated in. In 2023 she has shared credits with Majeed, Spyro, and most recently, Young Jonn and Ayra Starr, and with collaborations like this she can obtain perpetuity, welcoming a new generation of artists and subsequently, audiences, to her discography.

In an industry where Tiwa Savage has already more than doubled the average artist's career span, there may be some who will pose questions about just how much longer she can keep going at this level, but these doubts are no much different in substance from those that stood in her way at her arrival, only that time they took the form of her gender and sexuality. A combination of blistering talent, fierce expressiveness and smart collaborative effort should ensure Nigeria's queen of pop can extend her dominance for much longer.

This article was written by Afrobeats City Contributor Ezema Patrick - @ezemapatrick (Twitter)